Hold Me, Crush Me, Love Me
by Starlight257
Summary: Never let me go. Never take that warmth away. We must always be together, you and I. To be there for each other when all else fades away. Harry/Charlie. SLASH. Sexual content, rated M for a reason.
1. Shaken

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs solely to the author, j.k. Rowling. This story is purely a fictional piece and is not for profit.

**Author's Note: **

I really hope you enjoy reading this story, a work which will be eleven chapters in length once all chapters have been published. The chapters, as they progress, seem to increase in length and quality and so I hope you take this into account while reading. Have fun!

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**Chapter 1: Shaken**

General POV

The sound of tapping, or rather pecking as he would soon discover, roused Harry from his fitful sleep and drew him to the single small window of his bedroom at number four, Privet Drive. An owl, the dull grey colour of which indicating its being a part of a mass delivery service, was perched precariously on the small sill outside, pecking feverishly at the glass. It had, tied to its foot, a roll of parchment, which Harry thought was rather strange seeming as this owl clearly didn't belong to anyone he knew, and surely therefore would have been unable to find him unless given specific directions by someone who knew of his whereabouts and was aware of the fidelius charm.

Harry threw open the window, admitting the owl into his room, which quickly flew in and landed on the pile of books stacked upon his desk. He removed the message and just as suddenly, the owl was gone, into the deep purple that was the night sky. This was the first letter he had received from anyone since his return from Hogwarts for his final holidays with the Dursleys. He unrolled the parchment, not expecting the small object within, which fell to the desk. It was a silver key, old and elegant, but with no distinct markings. The letter was written in flowing black script, and read:

"_Dear Harry,_

_It will be your seventeenth birthday soon, and as you no doubt know, that will mean that you will legally be able to perform magic outside of school. More seriously however, this will also mean the end of the protective enchantments that keep you safe while you remain in your aunt and uncle's house._

_I am writing this letter as you sleep soundly here in Grimuald Place, mere walls separating us, and two years will have passed before you receive it. This letter is so I can be sure that, if something should happen to me, you will receive something from me on your seventeenth birthday. I certainly don't plan to leave you, however in these times I would be a fool not to consider the possibility, and if you are reading this letter it means that I have passed on, and for that I am truly sorry. _

_But the mere matter of my death should not stop me, and it was important to me that you receive one final gift, even if I will not be there to give it."_

Tears, great warm droplets, filled Harry's eyes and ran down his cheeks, dripping onto the parchment as he realised that this letter was from Sirius, his godfather. He had not hoped that Sirius would have had the foresight to predict his own death, and nor had he expected any present from him after he was lost two years ago. Memories of Sirius, of his death and his life, filled Harry's mind and threatened to overcome him. He breathed deeply, forcing himself to focus once more on this letter, this small connection to the man who had been his family for a short time.

"_Harry, my gift to you is one that I had hoped to share with you, and one that I know you of all people will know the true value of. For I understand you, and I know that what's really important is family, friends and life. And it is my greatest wish that you enjoy this gift, and that it will help you to unite all of these things. Harry, to you I give a home. Not just a house, some cold, empty shell, but a home. Grimuald place is already yours by this time and is undoubtedly being used by the Order as a Headquarters still. I wanted to give you another place, one that you can truly call your own and one where you can live, rest and laugh._

_It already possesses every magical protection I could think to cast, and belongs entirely and solely to you. You will find the title in your vault, and enclosed in this letter is the key. This key will take you to your home only after you seventeenth birthday has passed, and can be activated with a simple tap from your wand. Upon entry, you will be made secret keeper and will therefore have authority over who may enter."_

Harry's eyes were still watery as he looked down at the key he held in his hand, glimmering in the moonlight.

"_I hope that, even though I am gone, you will enjoy your gift. Let not sadness for me tinge your thoughts. Do not dwell on the sorrows of the past or on my loss. I ask only that you live and know that, whatever has happened, I will be there with you always. So Harry, for the final time, as I sit in this room with you sleeping above me, I say goodbye and farewell._

_Your Godfather,_

_Sirius Black."_

Harry clung tightly to the parchment with one hand, the other moving up to wipe the tears from his eyes. He was trembling, and although the letter had bid him otherwise, he could not help but recall those memories of happiness and closeness that were so painful to him still.

Sirius had given him a home. Two years after his death, Sirius was still able to give Harry what he wanted most in the world. Hope. Support. _Family._..

Harry twirled the silver key between his fingers, not really watching as the glimmering metal blurred and twisted. He was watching Sirius in his mind, cheerful and smiling as he danced around hanging Christmas decorations. He had been happy then, and Harry had known what it would be like to live with somebody who cared for him. The edges of his mouth pulled up slightly into a smile, and he clasped the key in his hand. _A home_.

**CRASH!**

The sound of metallic objects striking the floor broke through his thoughts, and he jumped from his seat and threw open his bedroom door. The last rattling sounds of the objects settling echoed in the empty silence of the house, where Harry had believed he had been alone. A soft blue light shone from the kitchen, illuminating the stairs as Harry tip-toed his way down, wand drawn and the key safely in his pocket.

A familiar voice then filled the heavy silence, and Harry exhaled loudly.

"Sorry! I lost my balance when we landed and slipped. And _who _stacks their pots and pans on the counter like that anyway?"

Harry raced into the kitchen, smiling widely as he came face to face with several members of the Order and some of his closest friends. "Wotcher Harry!" And before he knew it he was being held in a tight hug, Tonks having been the closest to him. Over her shoulder he could see the faces of Order members and friends. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie stood to one side of the kitchen staring at Harry and smiling with Lupin, Fleur and Kingsley. Mr Weasley was looking gleefully about the room at the muggle appliances. Mad-Eye and Mundungas were the only two not smiling, the first with a serious expression as his magical eye rolled in its frantic searching of the surrounding area, and the second with his arms crossed and face set with defiant expression.

Tonks finally released him, and after a few quick greetings, the plan was explained. There would be seven Harry's with seven Order members escorting one each. Harry had opposed this plan vehemently at first because he did not want his friends risking their lives for him. But after some arguing with Mad-Eye, he reluctantly handed over a lock of his hair for the polyjuice potion.

All fourteen of them then moved into the yard, where broomsticks, thestrals and one large black motorbike which Harry recognised with a pang of sadness as Sirius' waited for them.

"So, who am I going with?" He looked around, thinking that it would probably be Moody or Kingsley as they were the most experienced.

"You'll be with me Harry." A rich, velvety voice called, and Harry looked around to see Charlie step forward, beaming at him. "The original plan was for you to go with Hagrid, but we had a little trouble with the bike and the sidecar was sort of... well destroyed. So I volunteered because you would be able to fit with me on just the bike, and because I've really got nothing else to do since I came back from Romania." This last part was said jokingly as Charlie moved forward and took the trunk and Hedwig's cage from Harry, the owl squawking indignantly. He passed them to Hermione and Kingsley, who would be able to take them on their brooms.

Moody's voice broke the silence which seemed to fall suddenly on the group as they all considered what was going to happen in just a few moments. "Everybody, prepare to depart."

People moved to mount both brooms and thestrals, and Charlie took hold of the bikes handlebars, Harry climbing up behind him. "Hold on to me Harry, it may be a bit gusty once were up there." Harry looked around and then hesitantly eased his arms around Charlie's waist, feeling uncomfortable with the closeness of their bodies. The bike roared to life, and Harry, who had not been expecting such a loud noise, squeezed Charlie tight, causing him to chuckle softly.

"On my mark everyone," called Moody over the roaring of the bikes engine. "And... **GO!**"

Simultaneously all fourteen of them rose into the air, some moving faster than others. Each pair shot off in a different direction, the wind whipping both robes and hair. And then, all of a sudden, the sky seemed to be more crowded than it should have been. Close to thirty hooded figures appeared around them, and Harry realised that they were all in serious trouble. But there was no time to make decisions, and the plan was the only thing left to follow as flashes of light began streaking through the air in every direction.

Charlie aimed the bike straight into a large group of the Death Eaters, scattering them as he pushed through and into the open, speeding away from number four, Privet Drive. Harry fumbled in his pocket for his wand, pulling it from his jeans and turning his upper body to face the three figures now pursuing them. Green and red curses tore through the air around them, and Harry tried to steady himself to aim as the bike swerved and rumbled beneath him.

"_Expelliarmus_!" His voice was ripped away from him by the wind as the jet of red light shot out of his wand, hitting one of the figures and throwing them with great force from their broom. And then the other two stopped dead, and Harry could hear them yelling but was unable to make out the words.

An ominous calm settled over Harry and Charlie, the roaring of the engine failing to fill the void. Harry spun his head wildly, looking for any signs of pursuit or danger. And then, like some terrible bird of prey, Voldemort himself came soaring out of the darkness behind them, his red eyes glinting maliciously as he quickly covered the distance between them. He was laughing, an evil sound full of hatred and victory.

"We'll be there in just a few more seconds Harry. Don't do anything stupid, just hold on!" Charlie's voice was firm with determination colouring every word. But Harry wasn't about to let them be killed. Not if he could help it.

He fired several stunning and disarming spells backwards at the flying figure, all of which simply disintegrated as they hit some invisible shield. Voldemort's leer remained plastered on his face, and then he was gone. Harry spun around just in time to see him appear before them, blocking their path. Charlie had not been expecting this, and was momentarily stunned by the sight.

Voldemort's wand flew up to point at them, his spider-like hand moving with almost impossible speed. His voice echoed in the darkness. "_Avada Kedavr!"_

In the fraction of a second before Voldemort had unleashed this curse, Harry had tapped the bike with his wand and muttered something. The bike spun on the spot, and if it had been on the ground the tires would have given loud screeches in protest. Harry was now facing Voldemort, his own wand drawn.

"**NO!**" Charlie roared as he tried desperately to spin the bike back around.

But there was no time, and as the jet of green light soared towards them, Harry cried "_Expelliarmus!" _A flash of scarlet hit the green in mid air, just metres away from where Harry was. The two spells collided, and the resulting explosion sent a wave of flame and power outwards. Harry was knocked from the bike, falling through the darkness and down towards the solid ground, towards his death.

He was going to die. All of this, everything the Order had done for him, risking their lives for him. It had all been in vain. He didn't know if the others were alive, or whether they had suffered the fate he was to face in just seconds. Death.

And then a roaring filled his ears, and just before he hit the ground Charlie swooped beneath him. He landed with as sickening crack on the seat of the motorbike, pain ripping through him as the bike pulled out of the steep dive. Blood, warm and dark, dripped from his head down one cheek, and his thoughts seemed to blur together into an incomprehensible swirling.

"Harry! Harry, are you alright?" But Harry could not answer, his voice refusing to come to his lips. He was getting weaker, and his eyes were fluttering as pain turned to numbness. He saw Charlie turn to look at him, his eyes wide in shock as he saw that Harry's face was covered in blood.

"No! Just – just hang on Harry!" The deep velvety voice was not enough to call him back, and he drifted into unconsciousness, his limp body dangling over the sides of the bike. Charlie had turned the bike successfully and was now racing towards the safe house that was their destination. He couldn't believe what had just happened. Harry, the one who he was supposed to be protecting, had just saved his life. He had thrown himself in front of Charlie. And Voldemort, who had somehow known that this was the real Harry, had been blasted by the force of the explosion as well.

But there would be time to think about this later, he told himself. "I'll make sure of it," he said, speaking more to himself than to Harry, who he knew could not hear him. He could see the house, Tonks's parent's house, and he was going to make it. With one final burst of speed, the bike soared over the protective enchantments, crashing into the garden just outside the door.

Charlie staggered upright, shaken from the rough flight and feeling as if the world had turned to waves, crashing down upon him from all directions. He lifted Harry's unmoving body off the bike and carried him in his arms as he ran towards the house, where he could see Ted and Andromeda standing stunned, looking at the wreckage of the bike. Charlie reached the house, and Ted helped him to carry Harry inside. Andromeda was shaking as she asked if she could possibly help.

"No. J-just get the portkey. There isn't any time!" His voice was hoarse however still held authority.

"Yes, o-of course dear." She left them, passing into one of the adjoining rooms and returning moments later clutching a silver-backed hairbrush. Charlie took one of Harry's limp hands and placed the brush into it, curling the fingers around the handle. Then he too grabbed hold of the portkey, knowing that it still wasn't time but lingering nevertheless over the possibility that they had missed their chance.

Harry's black hair was tangled, pale skin dripping with blood. His clothes were blackened where they had been seared by the flames, and his body looked as if it had collapsed in on itself with the force of the impact.

Charlie's eyes filled with tears, tears of both despair and rage. How could he have let this happen? What were they going to do now?

The hairbrush hummed as a blue glow grew outwards from it, and with a great rush Charlie, who was clutching Harry's body to him, was gone.

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	2. Hold

**Chapter 2: Hold**

General POV

They landed heavily upon the lawn at the Burrow, Charlie clutching Harry's body with strong arms regardless of his weak and exhausted state. A piercing cry broke the empty silence during which they lay there, and Charlie hauled himself to his feet, every ounce of his remaining strength needed to support Harry's seemingly lifeless form.

Mrs Weasley came running to them from where she had been waiting anxiously just inside the front door. She had at first been relieved to see both Harry and Charlie appear; fearing the worst after two portkeys had appeared accompanied by nobody. Her lips had moved towards a smile then, but as the feeble moonlight revealed the two figures a scream had escaped her mouth instead. She had seen the tears and burns that covered the clothing of the two who had returned, and had then realised that what she had taken to be a shadow was actually blood flowing down the side of Harry's face.

She raced towards them as Charlie stumbled under the weight of Harry, and before he fell she had her wand out and was levitating the smaller boy into the house, Charlie waving her attentions away from himself before he followed her.

"What happened? Where are the others? Is – is he... dead?" Her eyes were rapidly filling with tears, but before they could begin to flow down her face she wiped them on the sleeve of her hand knitted sweater. Bracing herself, she lowered Harry onto the couch and moved quickly to the cupboard in which they stored a supply of healing potions and salves.

Charlie was not ready to answer, and instead just fell into one of the cushy armchairs next to the couch so that he could watch Harry, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Mrs Weasley cast a few spells, clearing the blood and dirt from Harry's skin, before she examined him more closely, exhaling in relief as she felt with her fingertips a weak pulse at Harry's neck. She ran her practiced hands over Harry before standing up and rifling through the bottles and jars she had removed from the cupboard.

"It's... He'll be alright, dear," she said, both to herself and to Charlie. "Only a few broken ribs and a long gash above his right eye. I should be able to fix him up." Her voice was full of false confidence, but her panic was betrayed by the trembling of her lips. Charlie looked down at Harry and was pleased to see that, with the blood cleared away, he looked much better than he had originally thought. His lips formed the smallest of smiles, and he tried to take on the same positive attitude as his mother.

A flash of blue light filled the room as another portkey arrived, along with voices that indicated another pair had returned. Charlie stirred to get up and see who it was but was forced back into his chair by Mrs Weasley. "No dear, you stay where you are. You look terrible and I would recommend some rest. I'll get Ginny to see who it is." She turned and rushed to the bottom of the staircase that wound its way up through the house. "Ginny?... _**Ginny!**__"_

Seconds later Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs, clearly annoyed at having been called from her room. "Wha-" she began to yell before she noticed Harry sprawled on the couch and Charlie slumped in the armchair next to him. "Oh my-" she was heading towards the couch when her mother interrupted her.

"No dear. There's no time now. I need you to go out into the yard and see who's just arrived." Ginny nodded before running outside. Mrs Weasley turned back to Harry and continued to rub salves onto the burns which ran the length of one of his arms. She then forced a large amount of skele-grow down his throat to treat the broken ribs she had detected. It was going to be a painful time for him tonight, but it needed to be done quickly in order to have the best result.

Ginny re-entered the room, closely followed by Lupin, appearing none the worse for his encounter, and George, who seemed to be missing an entire ear and was only standing with the help of the man next to him. Having done everything she could for Harry, Mrs Weasley transferred her attentions to George, settling him into another chair and examining the wound with a pitying expression.

Charlie watched her bustle about the room, trying to calm people down while she only grew more and more distressed. He wanted to help, but the two attempts he made to get up were thwarted by hands which presses him back into the chair, where he was told to remain and rest.

More and more people poured into the room, those who had missed their portkeys as well as those who had been scheduled to arrive last finally making their way to the Burrow. A great babble of voices filled the room, increasing in volume as more people began their descriptions of what had happened to them. Mrs Weasley had warned everybody not to disturb Harry, who was still out cold but looking more colourful with every passing minute. Gasps and shocked yelps echoed through Charlie's tired mind, and he was overcome with pain as dizziness and exhaustion collided painfully with the blaring noises inside his head.

He needed to get out of this room and away from all these voices. His desire for peace and quiet was however outweighed by the overpowering need to stay with Harry, the boy who had saved his life and was now suffering because of it. He stood up quickly, wobbling unsteadily as his legs almost collapsed beneath him. At once the voices stopped, all eyes turning to stare at him with a mixture of shock, concern and curiosity. He had not yet told them what had happened to himself and Harry, and it was clear that they were eager to find out what had left their hero unconscious.

"I think it would be best," his voice was low but firm, "if we moved Harry upstairs and into bed so that he can get some proper rest." They had all been expecting an explanation and looked a little disappointed, but it was clear that their first priority was Harry's welfare and nobody opposed this decision. Bill moved towards him then, coming to a stop before the couch occupied by Harry. The others once more began their loud and incomprehensible conversations.

"He was going to stay with us anyway, so why don't we just move him into our room so that he can rest there?" The sleeping arrangements had been decided so as best to accommodate the guests that would be arriving for the wedding, and Harry had ended up being placed in the room shared by Bill and Charlie.

"Yes, I was thinking he could take my bed and I would sleep on the floor instead. Could you move him? It's just that I don't think I could manage and would probably drop him halfway up the stairs." Bill smiled warmly at him, taking out his wand and muttering a spell that raised Harry gently from the couch.

Bill climbed the several flights of stairs up to the room, Harry floating before him. Charlie followed, his legs shaking and his head spinning with each movement. They entered the room, and Charlie gestured towards his own bed, which Harry was carefully lowered onto. Charlie thought for a moment before extracting his wand from his pocket, pointing it at Harry and muttering something. The torn clothing disappeared, the tattered shirt and jeans vanishing only to be replaced by a pair of loose grey cotton pants. He then altered Harry's posture to make him more comfortable and covered him with a thick, warm quilt before turning to face Bill.

"Thanks."

"I really think you ought to get some rest as well." Bill's eyes were examining Charlie, taking note of the bruises covering his arms and neck and his slumped shoulders. "You look pale and you're swaying a little." His brother's voice was deep and concerned, and Charlie nodded. A large bed of cushions appeared between the two beds which occupied the room, and Charlie fell onto it gratefully, his ruined clothing disappearing as he fell to leave him clad only in a pair of blue silk boxers. The soft embrace of the pillows was irresistible, and in just seconds he had drifted into an exhausted sleep. Bill smiled down at him before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Harry/General POV

_Pain. Unbearable, agonising, excruciating pain. That was all, it was everything, and yet there was nothing. His eyes would not open, and all he had was darkness. He did not know where he was, what had happened or if he was even alive. All he knew was that he was in pain, and that if he wasn't already dead then he was definitely getting closer._

_His body was thrashing wildly, the only release for the burning which filled his veins and the throbbing of his head. But it wasn't enough, and he could not have remained still even if he was able to control his flailing limbs. There was nothing but pain._

Charlie was suddenly awake, feeling just as tired as if he had only been asleep for an hour. And judging by the depth of the darkness which filled the room, he probably only had been asleep for a short amount of time. His eyelids were heavy and his body ached slightly where bruises had appeared. But there was something moving and howling in the darkness beside him.

Harry.

Suddenly alert, he turned to see Harry thrashing wildly beneath the blankets of the bed, twisting and convulsing as waves of unendurable pain washed over him. His expression betrayed this, eyes clamped tightly shut and bottom lip white with the force of his teeth biting down on it. Turning for help, Charlie found that the room was empty and realised that Bill would probably still be awake downstairs, talking with the other Order members.

He was torn. Should he run for help and leave Harry to endure this agony? Or should he attempt to help Harry himself, possibly having no effect and only lengthening the time the boy would have to suffer? Just then Harry let out a scream so full of desperation that Charlie could not possibly think of leaving him. The scream became a string of whimpering and moaning as Harry's apparently unconscious body continued to struggle against the agony that was inside of him.

Charlie seized Harry, pinning his flailing limbs to his sides with his own strong arms. But his legs were still kicking, and if he didn't do something they would surely strike him. Charlie wrapped his powerful legs around the smaller legs of the boy, bringing them together in a vice-like hold. His bare, muscled chest was pressed against Harry's exposed back, while his thighs wrapped around Harry's waist. The thrashing eased into a feeble struggling along with the noises, and then both stopped entirely.

Charlie could feel the heat of the body beside him, and after several minutes of calm removed his legs from around Harry's leaving them only to press softly against the material of the pants Harry now wore. The kicking did not start again, and so he cautiously lessened his hold on Harry's chest, the previously violent squeezing now resembling a gentle embrace. But he would not risk letting go entirely, and he was encouraged by the soft sigh that escaped Harry's lips.

He pressed up against Harry's back, hoping that his warm hold would be enough to keep away the pain. It was probably the skele-grow taking effect that had caused this, and Charlie decided that it would be best for Harry if he remained like this, a comforting presence. And the silence continued, with each passing minute bringing nothing but the sounds of gentle breathing.

Charlie's eyes closed slowly, and he snuggled closer before consciousness slipped away once more and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

_Just as the suffering had seemed too much, and Harry had been sure that he would die, had pleaded for death, relief spread through him, a strong warmth which seemed to squeeze the pain out of his body. It was finally over, and he could breathe again. He could feel something other than the agony. He felt the heat, and pressed against it, sure that if he could only get close enough, he would never feel pain again. This was his relief. His comfort. His saviour. _

Harry's POV

I opened my eyes to see sunlight streaming through a large window, brilliantly bright and warm. It seemed to flow like liquid across my exposed chest, tracing the barely defined muscles, a result of quidditch. I curled my toes, bending my knees as I did so and brushing up against something firm and unexpected.

And then I noticed the muscled arms which held me from behind, wrapping around my chest and holding me against the solid chest of the person behind me. The skin was golden, a rich tan melding with sunlight and hugging well defined biceps. The embrace was warm against the comparatively cold skin of my exposed back, and large legs pressed against my own. I looked down, only now realising that my clothes had been removed and that somebody had placed me into a pair of loose grey pants.

Memories of the previous night came flooding back, and I could see the Order members assembled in the kitchen, talking casually about an escape plan. The scene changed, and suddenly there were hooded figures rising from every side, advancing. Again it blurred, and this time there was darkness and wind, and a snake-like face with an evil grin. Flashes of light, yells and screams, and then falling. Falling through nothingness and intense pain. And then I had woken, lying on a soft bed with somebody's arms wrapped around me.

I tried to twist out of the embrace without waking whoever it was, and was stopped by a low growl and a tightened hold. The voice was deep and soft as it spoke a "No" that was defiant even in sleep, and I knew then who was holding me.

_No. It's not... I need to get out. If I could just move..._

I pushed gently at the arm which draped over my side, moving it backwards and freeing myself. As quickly as I could without causing too much movement, I rolled over and away from the sleeping figure, feeling a stabbing pain as I did so. Breathing a little faster due to the shock, I looked back to see Charlie, Ron's second eldest brother, lying there, his face peaceful as he slept.

He was clad only in a pair of deep blue boxers, which left the hard lines of his well defined chest and arms exposed. His shoulder length, shaggy hair shone a deep, stunning red in the sunlight, while his chest was hairless, satin skin clinging to hard flesh.

_Why is Charlie in the same bed as me?_

Charlie's eyelids fluttered open, and he stretched his arms and legs. I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be sleeping, hoping to avoid an awkward situation. I cracked one eyelid open a fraction so that I could see what Charlie was doing. He was gazing at me, his expression unreadable as it travelled over my body. I shivered.

Charlie then reached over to where I was lying on the edge of the bed and nudged me gently with his hand. "Wake up Harry." His voice crooned softly, and I knew that I had no choice. Stretching my arms and legs with exaggerated movements, I fluttered my eyelids before looking into Charlie's eyes, which were a deep shade of blue. His pink lips twitched into a tender smile.

"Morning." His voice rang with amusement. "Nice to see you're finally up." His eyes glinted as my own smile grew, knowing that I had indeed woken first but unable to say anything without him knowing that I had been pretending to be asleep.

"Mmm... What happened?" My tone was casual, as if nothing about this situation was strange. But I was curious as to how I had ended up like this. And why my body ached when I moved.

"Well, you remember last night and the Death Eaters?" I nodded, remembering all too clearly the fear that had filled me at the sight. "Well, just before we made it to the safe house, Voldemort appeared. He seemed to know that it was the real you and not one of the others. He was going to kill us. Well, me actually. And you..." His voice was grateful and tinged with sadness. "You saved my life."

"Oh," was all I could say, seeing the emotion in Charlie's face. But something he had said triggered a question, which I blurted out. "What about the others? Are they...?" My voice trailed off as my throat closed, panic and fear taking over.

"Well, actually, I don't know yet. I was a bit dazed by the attack and couldn't keep my eyes open." He was apologising.

"I guess we should find out then." My own voice trembled despite my attempts to remain strong, my tone reflecting the reluctance I felt to hear the news I knew would be bad.

Charlie rose from the bed, shaking his hair and extending a hand towards me. I took it gratefully and let him haul me to my feet, my legs sore and unstable. Looking down, I saw several large bruises down one entire side of my body. The skin was purple and I couldn't suppress the gasp that escaped my lips.

"Yeah, those'll take a few days to fully heal. Mum gave you some skele-grow to mend your broken ribs, and she was able to remove every trace of the burns with some of those amazing healing salves of hers. But the bruises will just have to go away on their own." He smiled ruefully down at me, and I saw that his chest was also heavily bruised along one side.

Something caught my eye behind him, and I saw Bill's sleeping form curled serenely upon the other bed in the room. His long hair was splayed around his head, out of the usual ponytail that kept it under control. I blushed; remembering the way Charlie had been holding me and hoping that Bill had not seen it.

"Umm... Do you know where my things are? I would rather be fully dressed before I go downstairs. Charlie chuckled softly before moving towards the large chest of drawers and extracting two pairs of jeans and two shirts, one black and the other red. He tosses a pair of jeans and the red shirt towards me before slipping into the others himself.

"Sorry, but I don't know where your stuff is. Probably in the sitting room. But it's no problem; you can wear some of mine until we get things sorted out." He was almost finished dressing, and I quickly followed his lead, feeling comfortable in the loose clothing. All of my own clothes were too big anyway, having once belonged to Dudley. These were nowhere near as wide, however they were taller than usual and the jeans needed to be folded up several times before I could walk without tripping.

We made our way down the warped stairs, the house eerily quiet as we entered the sitting room. I moved towards the table, where Hermione sat quietly, slowly eating the eggs on the plate before her. Mrs Weasley could be heard cooking; however the clanging of pots and dishes was not masked by cheerful humming as it always had been before. Charlie glanced at me before making his way into the kitchen. I wanted to follow, but I needed to hear what had happened.

Hermione spun around at the sound of my approach, abruptly rising from the table and hugging me tightly. Her arms pressed against the bruises on my side and I bit down on my lips to hold back a gasp. She seemed to have noticed my flinch and loosened her hold. "Hermione," my voice broke. Her reaction had me scared. "What happened?"

She sobbed before releasing me, looking at me with eyes that were red and full of distress. "Harry, the Death Eaters. They knew! They knew that we were taking you last night, and they were waiting for us and-"

"I know that Hermione. But is everyone here? Did they make it?" I grasped her shoulders, thinking about shaking her so that she would calm down. But she suddenly stopped, straightened and looked back up at my face.

"George was hit with a curse and lost an ear. He- he'll be ok but the ear can't be grown back. And- and Harry," her sobbing broke through her composure, and she hugged me tightly as I thought of George. "Harry, they killed Moody." Her wailing was right at my ear, but the sound didn't reach me.

They killed... Moody. The tough, powerful, death-proof auror who had always seemed the least likely to die. Hadn't he told them all time and time again that constant vigilance was the only way they could avoid being attacked? How could he have died?

_It's all my fault. If it wasn't for me, he would still be here and George wouldn't have had to suffer. Why did I let them carry through with their plan? I knew it was going to be dangerous. I should have known that it was too dangerous._

I could feel tears running from my eyes, but I made no attempt to wipe them away. My heart hammered in my ears and blocked out all other sounds. Moody had been one of the people I had relied on unswervingly. He had held the Order together with his strength, and even though I had only really known the fake Moody, I felt a great loss.

Several minutes passed as I stood there, knowing that somebody had died for me. In a far corner of my mind, I was thankful that nobody else had lost their lives. "Harry?" Hermione's voice broke through the heavy silence and I was once more full of concern. Her tone had made it sound as if there was still more bad news.

"Harry, I, well... When they were chasing us, the Death Eaters, everything was moving so quickly and spells were flying past and-"

"Hermione, just tell me." There was no use prolonging the sense of fear.

"Well, one of the spells, a blasting charm, it – it hit Hedwig's cage and your trunk and... Harry, they're gone. I'm so sorry." She looked terrified that I was going to yell at her. But I couldn't. There was no breath left in my lungs, and all I could do was stand there, gazing unseeingly past her.

Everything I had owned, my books, clothes, gifts. Everything was gone. And Hedwig, the owl Hagrid had given me on the day I first entered Diagon Alley, was dead. And it was because of me. She had been my one great link to the wizarding world, whenever I was forced to return to the Dursleys. A constant companion, a _friend._

I couldn't take it. I composed my face into what I hoped was a reassuring expression, smiled a frail smile at Hermione, and turned, walking heavily back up the stairs and into the room where Bill still slept.

I couldn't give myself over to the grief that threatened to consume me. I couldn't scream and cry like I wanted so desperately to do. But I was not going to stand there and be pitied by everyone. I threw myself onto the empty bed, closing my eyes and burying my head in a pillow. And there was only darkness, and I would have taken the pain happily if it meant that the grief would leave me.

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	3. Powers

**Chapter 3: Powers**

General POV

Harry had been in Bill's room all morning, a mixture of guilt and grief rendering him numb to the world beyond the bed on which he lay. Hedwig was gone. His loyal friend who had been with him since his entry into the wizarding world and had remained, as nobody else had, with him during those long summers of isolation and loneliness.

Suddenly, he seemed empty, like a small part of him had died along with Hedwig, the closing of a chapter of his life. She had also been one of his first real gifts from anyone, and that had meant a great deal to him. It had shown him that people, some of whom he didn't even know, cared about him, about his happiness. That he was loved.

And once he had recovered from the immediate shock of the loss, he had been plunged deeper into his feelings of guilt and shame as he realised something. He had cared more about the death of his owl than he had about the death of Mad-Eye Moody, a member of the Order and a fellow human. And this though was perhaps the most troubling of all, because he couldn't understand it, and he had not the courage to admit this to the others.

So he hid in the room, blankets pulled up over his head and his eyes stinging. He heard the sounds of talking rise from the bottom of the house, and imagined everybody eating breakfast and discussing last night. They would be pitying him for his loss when they should be feeling sorry for Moody and for George, who would never look exactly the same as Fred again.

The sound of footsteps grew louder and warned Harry that someone was coming up to try to talk to him. He lay still beneath the blankets, hoping that they would take the hint and leave him alone, but it was, he realised, a vain hope as that person sat on the edge of the bed. They didn't talk, so he had no idea of who it was, and they did nothing but sit there and wait.

Grudgingly Harry sat up, the blankets falling away from his face and the sunlight blinding him momentarily. He hadn't been expecting it, and was having trouble understanding how the day could seem so nice when he felt so gloomy. As his eyes adjusted, he saw deep red hair falling across broad shoulders. Piercing blue eyes, full of a compassion he didn't want, met his own green ones and a tender smile flitted across Charlie's handsome face.

"Harry, I thought you wouldn't want to do it, so I've explained what happened last night to everyone and told them not to bother you with questions. I hope that's ok?" His voice was full of concern. Harry hadn't been expecting him to start with this.

"Oh. Thanks, Charlie." He was relieved that he wouldn't have to relive the experience, and grateful to Charlie for having done it himself.

"Harry, are you alright? I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but I want to help if I can." He flashed a quick smile before dropping his eyes, uncomfortable but determined to be there for Harry.

"It's... fine. I'm fine. I think it'll just take some time to get over the worst of it, that's all." Harry's expression was heartrending as he lowered his face to avoid Charlie's attentive gaze. Suddenly, the smaller boy found himself encircled by two strong arms, and surprisingly he did not attempt to resist. Instead, he let himself be pulled against the other man's chest, allowing the warmth of the embrace to course through his icy body. He pressed his face against Charlie's firm shoulder as a hand ran through his hair, soothing him.

They stayed like this for several minutes, sharing between them a silent yet powerful comfort that did more for Harry than anything else possibly could have. And then Charlie eased away, taking a hold of one of Harry's hands and pulling him gently from the bed.

"It's a nice day, and you would probably feel better with some fresh air." This said, he led Harry out of the room and down to the sitting room, where Harry immediately felt the eyes of everyone on him. He forced a smile, and everybody seemed to breathe again, relieved that he at least appeared to be feeling better. He moved to leave the house and take a walk in the grounds, but was stopped just before he reached the door by the crushing force of Mrs Weasley. She had tears in her eyes, but she looked happier than anybody else. She placed quick kisses upon his face, crushing his small form against her in a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Harry, it seems that we once more owe you so much. First you save Ginny, then Arthur, and now Charlie. We owe you everything Harry." And she continued her barrage of kisses.

"Umm... It's ok Mrs Weasley. Really, no trouble at all. They were all risking their lives for me, the least I could do was return the favour." And eventually she let him go, and he left the room and walked out into the cool breeze of the garden.

General POV

Harry spent the remainder of that week recovering, mentally and physically, the intensity of his feelings lessening with each passing day just as the purple colour of his bruises faded back to the normal creamy colour of his skin. He was glad that all his friends and the Weasleys, whom he considered to be family, were around him. They were able to distract him from the guilt and the pain, and he really enjoyed their company.

An additional bed had been conjured for Harry to sleep on for the duration of his stay, and it was wedged in the small space between the beds of Bill and Charlie, effectively creating one large bed which took up over half the room. The Burrow was more crowded than it had ever been, with the addition of Fleur and her sister Gabriella, as well as Madame and Monsieur Delacour, who were all staying until the wedding, which was to be the day after Harry's birthday.

Mrs Weasley's patience declined steadily with the arrival of the guests and the day of the wedding drawing progressively closer. Everybody, even the adults in the Order who occasionally dropped by to see how things were going, seemed to veer away from her if they saw her heading in their direction. Ginny had twice been screamed at for leaving her broom in the hallway, much to the embarrassment of both herself and everybody in the room at the time. And Charlie had unfortunately come across her when she had only just finished dealing with some trouble relating to the marquee, and was as a result forced into a chair and subjected to a brutally short haircut.

Each day found Harry at work on some project or occupied with some wedding related chore. Himself, Ron and Hermione had decided to put off all discussions of their mission until after the wedding, and the resulting atmosphere was cheerful and carefree. As the days passed, Harry became more excited and finally it was the night before his 17th birthday, the day he would come of age and legally be allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.

"Harry, try to get some sleep." Bills tone was exasperated and yet his voice was full of amusement.

"I can't. It's just too much! I will finally be able to cast spells and help around the house and get back at Ron for that jinx he hit me with yesterday." He scowled playfully, picturing Ron hanging upside down from his ankle. He laughed, bubbling with energy and bouncing up and down on the bed, jostling Bill and Charlie on either side of him.

"Well if you're not going to go to sleep, why don't you go downstairs and leave us to get some rest." Charlie's voice was playful but also a little tired. Harry looked over to see him smiling lazily up at him, and decided that he would stop bothering them.

Harry had grown quite close to Ron's two eldest brothers, and in just a week he had come to consider them amongst his closest friends. "Fine. Goodnight." And with that he sprung from the bed and left the room, almost tripping on the too-long legs of one of Charlie's pairs of jeans. He still hadn't gotten around to buying some clothes because he had not been allowed to leave the Burrow. But Charlie had continued to lend him some of his own, and for that he was grateful.

He bounded down the stairs and into the moonlit sitting room, where he lit the fire to provide both light and warmth. He was just too excited to sleep, and could not seem to contain his exuberance. The whole day he had babbled and smiled and laughed, much to the annoyance of anyone who spent more than an hour with him. It seemed that they just did not feel his enthusiasm, and he couldn't understand it.

Of course, everybody at the Burrow, with the exception of Ginny and Gabriella, had already come of age and had forgotten what it was like to be so restricted. They could not comprehend the frustration he felt when he was forced to walk _all the way_ across a room to reach an object when they could so easily summon it to them. But he had not felt sorry for himself, and had instead spent all his free time, which occurred mostly when everybody else was asleep, reading books full of spells that he was sure would be useful if only he could use them.

He had selected a choice few that he would be practicing as soon as midnight arrived, and he was sure that by morning he would be able to perform them without a problem. But he had to wait, and so he sunk onto the hearth before the fire, watching the flames licking at the stone on either side. And the minutes passed.

Charlie's POV

I moved silently down the stairs, listening for sounds coming from where light spilled into the stairwell from the sitting room. But it was silent, and no shadows danced or trembled as I approached.

I had thought that, in my current tired state, I would be glad to finally get some rest. The last few days had been exhausting; with jobs such as clearing the garden for the wedding sapping what strength I had recovered since the attack. The muscles in my arms protested with every movement, and my knees were sore. The pair of boxers I wore caressed my skin, and I was reminded of the softness of the bed I had left behind. But there was no way I would be getting any sleep.

Harry had been in such a light-hearted mood for the later part of the week, and tonight his cheerfulness had reached the point where it was annoying to be around him. His lithe frame bouncing up and down was just so out of place in the Burrow, where all everybody else wanted to do was avoid the demanding calls of my mother and get some rest. And his eyes, those beautiful green orbs, seemed to just blaze with an unavoidable energy.

I had tried to drift into sleep, and when Harry had finally stopped jumping around on the bed and left the room, I had expected it to come. But I just couldn't, what with Harry so vibrant, I couldn't bear to leave him alone on such an occasion. It was a very important night for him, and Harry had never received much attention on his birthdays. I felt so much guilt just leaving him alone, and so I had come downstairs to be with him.

Rounding the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks, my mouth open in shock. Harry was sitting on the couch in the centre of the room, which was hovering about a metre off the ground. But it was not this that so surprised me, nor was it the fact that just about every other piece of furniture seemed to be floating or spinning or in some way moving. What really astonished me was Harry himself.

The smaller boy had his eyes closed and was holding his wand above his head, pointing it down. His jet-black hair, previously quite short, was now long enough to reach the centre of his back, thick locks tangling elegantly in twisted patterns. A streak of hair, golden and brilliant against the blackness of the rest of his hair, coiled its way down the right side of his face, where he twirled the tip of it in his hand. And his creamy, flawless skin seemed to shine even in the bright light of the room, which I now saw was coming from several silver balls of energy drifting casually around the furniture.

"Wow." I couldn't stop myself, the exclamation leaving my lips as I gazed in awe at the sight before me. Harry's eyes flew open, and with a great crash the tables, chairs and other pieces of furniture fell to the stone floor, and the lights went out. I flinched at the sound.

"Oops... Umm, hi Charlie." His expression changed from one of shock to a sheepish smile as he saw me standing just inside the door. "I was just... errr... practicing?" This last part came out as more of a question, and I couldn't stop myself. I laughed so loudly I was sure that, if the crash hadn't woken everyone already, they would all be awake now. My jaw ached as finally I could breathe again, and I rubbed at it with my hand.

His expression had just been so innocent and hilarious. His face was now flushed, but the intensity of his eyes hadn't dimmed in the slightest. I walked over to where he sat on the couch, which appeared to be the only survivor of the fall with the exception of the table. Harry saw my eyes travel over the chaos that was the sitting room, and before I could say anything he had twirled his wand and muttered something. The room blurred and splinters reassembled themselves into familiar, solid forms. Within seconds everything had been repaired and returned to their original places.

I gaped open-mouthed at him, but he just shrugged. "I shouldn't have let them fall. You surprised me because I didn't hear you coming down the stairs. But I guess I should have thought about that when I put the silencing charms up." That explained why nobody had come rushing down the stairs, wands drawn and ready for a fight.

"What did you do to your hair?" I asked, reaching out to touch the golden streak. It felt like strands of liquid silk, and I couldn't resist running my hand through the entire length of Harry's hair, which had taken on the same texture regardless of the colour. Harry's smile widened.

"Well, I had been wanting to see what my hair would look like long, but I wanted to be the one to do it. So I tried it tonight, and after a few attempts I got it right. I think it's nice, don't you?"

"Beautiful," I half whispered, still lost in the silky feel. Harry blushed and I realised that what I had just said may have made things a little awkward. "Just don't let mum see it, or she might get you like she got me." I gestured to my own hair, which was now just a shadow of its former glory.

"Oh, I can fix that!" Harry seemed to forget his discomfort, and kneeled next to me, one hand holding his wand above my head and the other holding the side of my face. I had to force myself to remain still, fighting the urge to rub against Harry's skin which was warm and felt like satin. He muttered something I didn't quite catch, and a strange tingling began to spread from the top of my head downwards. "How long?" He asked casually, and I quickly dismissed the image that came into my mind of my own hair the length of Harry's, flowing down my back.

"Umm... Just past my shoulders?" I didn't know how exact he could be in performing the spell, especially since tonight was probably the first time he had used it. The very tips of my hair brushed against the skin of my shoulders, feather light touches telling me that it had stopped at exactly the length I had indicated. I leant my head forward and opened my eyes to see a curtain of deep red flowing down over my face, stopping just below my chin.

"Perfect Harry. Thanks!" I brushed it out of my face and looked over to him, kneeling at my side on the couch. His eyes glinted with something I couldn't quite place, and I realised that he was not wearing his glasses. The depths of those green eyes was incredible, and I found myself lost in the colours and patterns which before had been hidden by his glasses.

He smiled a quick smile before turning away. I needed to break the silence. "Could you do a streak for me too? I hadn't thought about it before, but yours is amazing."

He turned back looking slightly apologetic. "Actually, I don't know how. When I was performing the hair growth charm, I must have done something wrong, because all my hair changed to a gold colour. I tried to put it back, but this streak won't go away. I guess it is nice though..." I wasn't really disappointed, just relieved that conversation had returned to normal. "It's the same for the texture. It's brilliantly smooth and feels great, but I hadn't intended it to happen, and probably couldn't do it again."

I laughed, imagining his entire head covered in a thick mane of golden hair. "That's fine Harry. I'm just happy that you were able to fix the haircut mum gave me." I grimaced at the memory. "I see you've fixed your eyesight. So, no more glasses?"

"Yes!" He seemed extremely happy with this change. "I've always hated those things, and I even asked Hermione to fix my eyes for me. But she told me that it was very complicated, and that it would be extremely dangerous for anyone but a professional to perform it. So, naturally, I've been studying it, and I was able to do it tonight with no problems." He sounded a little proud of himself, but mostly thrilled. A short silence followed this, in which I was transfixed by the delicate movements of his hand as it continued to twirl the golden streak. I looked up to see him staring at me curiously, and I smiled warmly back.

"So, what other spells have you mastered in the very short time you've had?" I asked jokingly, raising one eyebrow. I hadn't been expecting anything more, as I was already having difficulty believing that he could already perform such complicated magic.

"Well, actually," he said, leaning down and extracting one of the books that had fallen from the couch when it had dropped from its floating position. "I've only tried a few so far, but would you mind if I tested one on you? I need someone to try it out on, and it could be interesting." He fluttered his lashes at me in a mockery of flirting.

"Hmm... what does it do?" I was curious to see just what he was capable of, but I didn't know if it was a good idea to let him test his abilities on me.

"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" His lips formed a wicked grin, and then he began flipping through the book, which looked very old and had probably been quite expensive. I would have asked where he had got it, but I was too busy worrying about the spell and what it would do.

"Stand up over there and face me." He said this without looking up from the pages of the book, pointing to the centre of the rug. I moved slowly into place, feeling very vulnerable in just my red boxers. He looked up at me then, and his expression was reassuring. He pointed his wand at me and said clearly "_Petrifilicticus," _and for a moment I thought he had cast the stunning spell _Petrificus Totalus_. But I remained standing, and just to make sure I moved my fingers.

Everything seemed normal, and looking down there appeared to have been no changes. Harry sat there on the couch, not disappointed but not exactly happy either. "What was supposed to happen?"

"Hmm..." was his response, as if he was thinking about something. No answer to my question came, and I decided not to comment on his failure. I sat down again on the couch, which had been lowered to the ground again along with everything else in the room.

Harry stood up and began piling the fallen books onto a small table beside the couch. My eyes were growing heavy, and I thought longingly of my comfortable bed and of a good rest.

**CRASH!**

Splinters of wood flew in every direction, and I swung my head around to see Harry standing to the side of the couch, holding what looked like the remains of one of the chairs from the dining table. He was grinning widely, and it took me a few seconds to figure out why.

He had hit me squarely in the back with the solid wooden chair, and I had felt absolutely nothing. I felt the skin of my back with one hand, but there seemed to have been no change. And yet the chair had practically exploded on contact. My bewildered expression must have been too much for him, because Harry had doubled over with laughter, tears streaming down his face as he gasped for breath between loud bursts of laughter which filled the room. "What did you do?"

Once he had regained some composure, he came over and joined me on the couch, leaning against me in a cute manner. "That was a spell I came across while reading one night. It supposedly makes a person's skin as hard as stone, and I thought it might be useful. Of course, it only lasts for a short while, but there are no outward signs so the attacker doesn't realise it."

"Wait... If there are no outward signs, then how did you know it had worked?" I looked down at him, and he shrugged.

"Simple. I didn't. But I was pretty sure I did it right, and there was only one way to be sure." He looked up at me innocently.

"So you just hit me with a chair based on a feeling? What if it hadn't worked properly?" I should have been angry, but his expression was irresistible, and instead my voice sounded amused. "I am not going to be volunteering for any more of your experiments, and I don't care how adorable you look."

I leaned back into the cushions of the couch, wrapping my arm around Harry and pulling him against my side. He closed his eyes, and the only sound that could be heard was our slow breathing.

Harry's POV

Through my lashes I could see Charlie looking down at me, his stunning blue eyes travelling over my curled form. I felt his hand trailing through my long hair, and his fingertips were soothing against my skin when they trailed along it. He continued for a few minutes, and then stirred and stood up.

"I'm going to go to bed Harry. I really enjoyed sharing this with you, but I think I may need some rest. I'll see you in the morning, and make sure you wake me before you show the others your new look. I want to see their faces, especially mum's." He chuckled softly at this. "Goodnight."

I watched the muscles in his back ripple as he climbed the stairs and disappeared out of sight, and then I picked out a book from the pile I had placed on the small table beside the couch. I stretched myself out on the couch and just as I had made myself comfortable, a sharp tapping reached my ears. This was not only strange because it was past midnight and owls would usually arrive at reasonable hours, but also because owls never came to the Burrow anymore and messages were directed to other Order members' houses and then passed on.

I lifted myself from the couch and walked over to the window on the opposite side of the room where the noise was coming from. At first I did not see it, but then the form of a large raven, darker than the night sky, came into focus. I hesitated only slightly before opening the window, and thankfully the raven did not enter the room. Instead, it chose to remain on the sill, its leg outstretched so that I could easily remove the scroll tied to it.

As soon as it was free, the raven took off into the night, and I walked back to the couch so that I could sit and read whatever it was. I was suddenly reminded of Sirius' letter, the one which had arrived at number four Privet Drive only a short while ago. It had told me of the home he was giving to me, and with a pang of guilt I realised that I had forgotten entirely about it in all the commotion of the departure and the wedding preparations. I saw in my mind the silver key, which I had placed in my pocket before leaving the Dursleys. Panic rose as I found that I had no idea where it was, having woken up dressed only in a pair of Charlie's pyjama pants. But surely he must have placed it somewhere, and I would ask him where it was in the morning.

I looked down at the scroll of parchment I now held, tied with a thin band of black ribbon. I untied this and unravelled parchment. It read:

"_Harry, Pet,_

_Torture, too much for me to take, and yet I remain. Pain, suffering, longing... nothing else exists. My body is burning, fire consuming my veins as blood, thick as steel, pulses and throbs with every beat of my swollen heart. All I have is agony... and you. Two things so different. Two things the same._

_Images, feeble imaginings and dreams of you, fill my head and torment me in both my sleeping and waking hours. There are not many sleeping hours. Not when all I can do is yearn for you. Not since I saw you, since I watched you, your eyes, your skin, your flesh. And as I watched I knew, knew that I had to have you, that you would be mine. You will be mine._

_The waiting has been unbearable, impossible, excruciating. But it will all be over soon. The time is almost upon us, the time when I will take you. Take you and claim you as my own. Feel you as nobody ever has before. Make you mine. And you will scream my name, worship me as only you can. As only I deserve. We will be together, master and slave, brutality and beauty. Nothing will stop us. Nothing can stop that._

_The pain will be gone. Nothing shall hurt me anymore. I will feel only pleasure, satisfaction... only you. The time is near._

_Your purpose, your everything..."_

I could not breathe, and my body trembled uncontrollably. What was this? Somebody's sick, twisted idea of a joke. But deep down, I knew it was not a joke. Each word rang with sincerity, each phrase written as if it were the obvious truth.

Who had written this? What did it mean? I had to bite down on my bottom lip to keep from screaming. The blood had drained from my face, and suddenly I was cold. But I couldn't tell anyone. It would only mean more problems, and it's not like they would be able to do anything about it anyway.

The only thing showing this letter would achieve would be a greater level of panic and possibly more sympathy, and I really didn't need that. I shook myself mentally and tried to forget what I had just read. There was nothing to worry about, I repeated in my mind as I climbed the stairs and lay down on the soft bed. Even if this person was real, there would be no way that they could get to me. Not with all these enchantments surrounding the Burrow and aurors guarding me at all times.

It was best if I just didn't think about it. Simply denied the fact that somewhere, for some unexplained reason, somebody was planning to take me from where I belonged, from those I loved. It's not like that hasn't been done before. I laughed softly and without any real humour at this attempt at nonchalance, the sound hollow and cold.

Sleep would rid me of this irrational fear, and tomorrow would be just like any other day. I would not let the mad ravings of some obsessed fan worry me when I knew that I was safe. I climbed the stairs to the bedroom and dropped to the mattress. Everything would be fine. I wouldn't lose any sleep over something so ridiculous.

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	4. Gifts

**Chapter 4: Gifts**

General POV

Harry was roused from his restless sleep in the early hours of the morning, the sun still hovering on the horizon and casting an orange glow over the entire house.

"Harry! Harry!" Hermione squealed, the high pitched sounds piercing the darkness that he had retreated to.

"Get up, mate, you need to open all these presents." Ron's voice was not as high but contained just as much enthusiasm as Hermione's. Harry rolled away from the noise, feeling tired after a very late night. He squinted in the bright light, and was eventually forced to sit up as Ron and Hermione jumped up and down on the bed.

Both of them gasped as they saw Harry's hair, beautiful and silky, roll down over his shoulders and skin from where it had been bunched up as he slept. Charlie and Bill were awake now too, the noise and jumping having disturbed them as much as it had Harry. Bill was a little late with his gasp as his eyes took a few seconds to take in the scene before him, but Charlie just smiled.

"Harry," Hermione's voice was quieter now, a mixture of fascination and awe, "what happened to your hair? It's... it's _beautiful." _

He was now fully awake, and his eyes sparkled with the same energy from the night before. His lips curved into a wide smile and he laughed at the still shocked expressions of his two best friends. "Oh, you know, just something I did last night," he stated with a false casualness. But he was unable to keep that up for long, and he quickly became the excited, lively person he had been last night. He seemed to have forgotten the letter entirely. "Do you really like it?"

"Blimey, Harry. Is that gold, or is the light playing tricks with my eyes?"

"Yeah, it's gold. But don't ask me how I did it, because I couldn't tell you. It was an accident really." Ron rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly just to make sure. Hermione, on the other hand, frowned and tilted her head slightly in a disapproving manner.

"Harry, you really shouldn't have tried such an advanced spell on yourself, at least not the first time, anyway. Something could have gone horribly wrong and then..." Her voice trailed off, and she moved closer, her eyes fierce as they stared straight into Harry's. "Please tell me you did _not_ perform that eyesight spell that you've been bothering me about!"

Harry shifted uncomfortably, withdrawing from her now furious expression. "Umm... yes, but-"

"Harry! I _told _you that it could be very dangerous. Who _knows _what would have happened if you had even made the smallest mistake while moving your wand. You could have lost the use of your eyes completely, and then how would you expect to carry out this mission Dumbledore's entrusted us with."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, not quite sure of what he was going to say but ready to do anything to prevent another round of yelling. But he was interrupted by a deep voice, and looking to his right was stunned to see that it came from Bill, who had until now remained silent. Harry took in the intense blue eyes of the eldest of Ron's brothers, which combined with the three pink scars that ran down one side of his face and the fiery red ponytail that was currently draped across his shoulder formed an image both commanding and friendly.

"Hermione, leave Harry alone. It's not like anything actually happened, and I'm _sure _that the next time he wants to perform some seriously risky advanced magic," and with these words he shot Harry a warning glance, "he will ask us for help first and _not _try it out on himself. And besides, it is his birthday. Hold off on the yelling for today at least."

Everyone was staring at Bill now, Ron and Hermione looking a little taken aback. Charlie and Harry were both grinning, and Bill returned the smile. Charlie was the first to speak.

"Come on Harry, let's open your presents." He gestured to a large pile at the foot of the bed, a pile which Harry was sure he had not seen when he had returned to bed last night. There were several large packages, as well as a few smaller ones which had been balanced precariously in one tall stack. Ron chucked one of the larger parcels to Harry, and then distributed a few others as Harry nodded his consent. The sounds of paper being torn apart filled the room, only broken by the occasional gasp or exclamation as something particularly impressive was revealed.

There were piles of sweets and chocolates spread around the room, consisting of everything from Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans to chocolate frogs and some strange little things that looked remarkably like mints but would scatter as soon as someone approached. There was a large trunk, a replacement for the one he had lost, complete with every safety device known to wizards. There was a sneakoscope from Hermione, several large leather bound books filled with defensive spells from Lupin. Mrs Weasley had given him the traditional hand knitted sweater, this time blue and with a large golden snitch emblazoned on the front. The twins had sent what looked like one of everything they sold in their shop, packed into a large crate.

Harry was currently occupied with a large pair of strangely colourful spectacles, which he suspected were spectrespecs sent to him by Luna. He put them down and looked to his side to find Charlie lying flat on his stomach on the bed next to him, examining one of the books. "Charlie?" The muscles of his broad back rippled beneath the tanned satin skin as he shifted to look at Harry, his stunning blue eyes amused and inquiring. "What did you get me?"

"You haven't gotten it yet Harry, but don't worry, you will. It just has to wait until later. And the same goes for Bill's." He smiled roguishly and a blush crept into Harry's cheeks. Charlie reached one strong arm over and wrapped it around Harry's waist, pulling him against his body in a warm embrace.

"Everyone, come down to the kitchen for breakfast." Mrs Weasley's call echoed up through the house, and everyone reluctantly rose from their comfortable positions in the bedroom, placing Harry's gifts in a pile on one of the three beds. The house shook as bodies stomped their way down the stairs and into the kitchen, seating themselves at the table which was already piled high with food.

Harry's mouth watered as he was hit by the delicious aroma of eggs, bacon and various other dishes. "Now Harry, this will have to do for your birthday celebrations. I know it's not much," and she cast an apprehensive glance over her shoulder from where she stood preparing more food at the immense pile that already covered the table, "but unfortunately you'll be leaving soon so that you can be taken to the safe house you will be staying at for the wedding." Harry hadn't been aware that he would not be attending the wedding, and was upset to hear this. Mrs Weasley had, however, anticipated his reaction.

"I'm very sorry dear, but you have to understand that there is no way you could possibly come to the wedding. I know you don't seem to mind putting yourself in danger at every chance you get," she spoke in a knowing tone, "but this is also for the safety of everyone else. If you were there then they would all be at risk as well." She had known that Harry would not mind his own life being endangered, and had decided to instead use his selflessness against him to force him to accept the plan.

She turned to face the table now, her mouth open to continue her prepared arguments, when she stopped suddenly, her eyes widening as her jaw dropped. "_Harry! What_ did you doto your _hair_?" Harry was surprised by this sudden change in subject, and seemed to forget about the disappointment of not being able to attend the wedding.

"Errr..."

And then Charlie's laughter filled the room, loud and deep as it boomed through the silence. He was quickly joined by everyone at the table, and tears could be seen pouring down red cheeks. Ron was now choking on part of a sausage he had already placed in his mouth, and Ginny's pyjamas were covered in what had been a mouthful of orange juice. The only one who wasn't laughing was Mrs Weasley, who had been shocked beyond words.

Eventually the laughter died down, and Mrs Weasley moved towards him, her hand reaching out to feel the silky strands of his long hair.

"I told you I wanted to be here to see mum's face when she saw your hair Harry," Charlie said, his eyes still watery from laughing so hard. "I knew it was going to be great."

General POV

The morning had passed quickly, with Harry demonstrating his now legal abilities by practicing some of the spells he had eagerly memorised. Those who hadn't been present for the breakfast, mainly the older members of the Order, dropped by in small groups throughout the morning, wanting to wish him a happy birthday before he was taken to the safe house for the wedding. Apparently Harry had been the only one who hadn't even considered the possibility that his appearance at the wedding might cause problems, and this made him slightly angry. He thought that they could at least have told him that they were planning to remove him, but he was reluctant to mention this because that would mean admitting to the fact that he had not thought of what might happen.

So when Charlie and Bill were sent to fetch Harry and take him to the safe house, they found him sulking in the bedroom that they shared, staring dejectedly at the gifts he had received.

"Come on Harry, cheer up. It's not as bad as you think." Bill's voice was soothing, and he shot a meaningful look at Charlie, who smiled. "Have you packed everything you'll need?"

"Err... actually; I don't really have anything to take with me. All the clothes are Charlie's, and I'll only be gone for a few days, so there's no point in bringing all these, is there?" He indicated the large pile of gifts. Charlie smiled even more widely, and Bill mirrored his expression.

"Perfect," they said in unison, moving forward and taking one of Harry's hands each before dragging him out the door. Harry was momentarily shocked, and by the time he realised what they were doing, they were down the stairs and walking to the boundary of the Burrow's grounds.

"What's going on?" Neither of them answered. "Bill? Charlie?" Harry's voice was slightly worried now, and they stopped abruptly. Charlie turned to face him, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Happy birthday Harry." And with that, Harry felt the tug at his navel and the suffocating darkness pressing in on him from all sides as he clung to the two hands which held him. His knees buckled as his feet hit the solid stone ground, but he did not fall, with Bill and Charlie supporting him on either side.

They had apparated into the centre of a busy street, cobblestone patterns swirling beneath their feet with elegant lamp posts rising at regular intervals. Both sides of the thoroughfare were constructed entirely from what appeared to be crystal, perfectly clear and sparkling in the light of the sun above. People, obviously wizards and witches based on the billowing robes that they wore, moved up and down between the crystal, which Harry now realised were shopfronts displaying clothing and other such goods.

"This, Harry," said Charlie, smiling gloriously down at him, "is _Atours Ruelle, _Paris's equivalent to Diagon Alley." Harry was speechless as he looked around himself, taking in the shimmering of the crystal, the hundreds of shops which lined the streets, and the brilliant colours of swirling robes and people. Of course he had assumed that other countries had similar wizarding facilities to those in Diagon Alley; however never in his wildest imaginings had he thought that he would be visiting one so soon.

"Why are we here?" He glanced at both Bill and Charlie, who seemed to be taking pleasure in his obviously astonished expression.

"This, Harry, is my gift to you." Charlie gestured to the street in general. "An entire new wardrobe to replace the one you lost, completely paid for by yours truly." He flashed his gleaming white teeth in a breathtaking smile. Harry didn't know what to say, but apparently words were unnecessary. Charlie swooped him up in a warm hug before setting him back down on the cobbled street, blushing slightly.

"But... why didn't you just tell me this before? Why did it have to be such a big surprise?" Charlie chuckled softly and looked to Bill. It seemed that this question was for Bill to answer.

"Well, Harry, there's still the small matter of your present from me and Fleur." Harry still looked confused, and the sound of Charlie's laughter grew louder. "We decided that our gift to you would be allowing you to attend our wedding."

Harry's eyes widened at this response before he looked down at his feet. When he spoke, his voice held a note of sadness. "It's really ok that I can't go, Bill. I mean, of course I would love to, but I can't be that selfish. I won't put the lives of everyone else there at risk just so that I can do something that I want to do. It wouldn't be fair."

Bill smiled kindly down at him before he responded. "That's very noble of you Harry, but I don't think you understand the gift. We are not merely _allowing _you to be there, we are making it possible _for_ you to be there, with no risk to anybody else."

Harry's expression brightened immediately, and he beamed up at Bill. He had wanted so much to be there to see Bill ad Fleur get married, and to experience a wizarding wedding. When Mrs Weasley had informed him that his attendance would be impossible, he had been more disappointed than anybody had truly realised. To have his wishes dashed like that had hurt greatly, and it had only been with considerable effort that he had not actually shed tears in front of everyone at breakfast.

"But _how_ will you do that?" He looked curious now.

"Well..." Bill's tone told Harry that he was hiding something, something that he probably wouldn't like. "The only way we can do this properly is to use polyjuice potion." Harry relaxed as he thought about this. It really wasn't that bad, and he already had some experience with using it.

"So who am I going to be?"

"Well..." And this time it was Charlie who responded, his voice giving the same feeling of something unpleasant approaching. "Obviously, it would have to be someone out of the immediate family circle, because that would be too obvious to anyone who paid the slightest bit of attention. Harry, only myself and Bill know about this plan, and of course Fleur. We couldn't tell the others because they would most likely put a stop to this whole thing."

Harry was a little surprised by this, but understood that it was necessary if he wanted to be there. "So who is it?"

Charlie exchanged an uneasy glance with Bill, who sighed and looked back at Harry. "Harry, you are going to be attending the wedding as... one of Fleur's cousins." He continued to stare down at Harry, examining his reaction.

"That's... ok. Actually, it's great." He smiled as the dread which he had felt disappeared instantly. "I thought it was going to be much worse when ...I... saw..." But he trailed off as he saw Bill and Charlie exchange a final glance, full of meaning and concern. What was he missing here? What was wrong with this plan? "What?"

"Well... you see Harry, Fleur had to make sure that the person you would be impersonating would not be coming to the wedding, because that would ruin everything. And only one person wrote back to say that they would be unable to attend. Fleur visited her cousin when she received the news under the pretence of wishing a speedy recovery from the illness which kept them away. She really only went so that she could take some hair from that person." Harry still looked confused, and Bill smiled sheepishly before continuing. "Harry, you will be attending my wedding as Harriet, Fleur's part veela, seventeen-year-old, _female,_ cousin."

Harry did not immediately understand the implications of what Bill had just said, and it took several seconds for the true meaning of his words to sink in. When they did, his wary expression shifted so quickly to one of shock that it was almost comical.

"I'm going to be a _girl!_"Harry shouted, not quite sure how to feel about this piece of information. He needed to think about this for a second. Of course, having to be a girl annoyed him, but if he were being honest, that particular feeling was not the main reason for his uncertainty. A battle was being waged inside his head, two sides grappling for his attention. Firstly, there was the utter embarrassment that would surely accompany his transformation into a member of the opposite sex, along with the awkwardness that would arise in meeting his friends at the wedding. On the other side, he was extremely grateful to be going to the wedding at all. He had wanted it so much, and the happiness associated with the possibility that he could attend was not to be extinguished easily.

Bill and Charlie were still watching Harry, worried that he might be offended and also a little scared that he might start yelling. But he didn't, instead turning to Charlie with an almost-angry glare. "Let me get this straight. I will be attending Bill's wedding... as one of Fleur's female cousins?" Charlie nodded. "And the only people who will know that it is actually me will be you, Bill and Fleur?" Charlie nodded again, still afraid to give any other response.

Harry thought for a few more moments, and then sighed, his lips turning up into a smile as he rolled his eyes. "Fine. I guess it could have been worse. I could have been stuck in some stupid safe house and missed the wedding entirely." At this, Bill and Charlie both let out sighs of relief and smiled at each other. Harry turned to Bill. "Don't you think the name might be a little obvious though?"

"Well we're sort of hoping that it will make your disguise even better simply because the name is such a giveaway. And that, coupled with the completely different appearance thanks to the polyjuice potion, should be enough to keep even people like Hermione in the dark." He smiled reassuringly down at Harry.

"That's actually quite... clever. But before I'm absolutely sure about this, you have to tell me one thing." Bill quickly agreed to this request. "This _Harriet_ person, is she pretty?" His face maintained a look of complete seriousness. Bill looked a little surprised at this question; however Charlie just laughed his deep, booming laugh, causing several passing witches to look at him warily.

"Harry, Harriet is part _veela_. She's not just pretty, she is absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous." He smiled down at Harry, who seemed to brighten up considerably upon hearing this.

"Well then...thanks Bill. This is one of the best gifts you could have given me." And with that, he wrapped his arms around Bill's torso, hugging him tightly to convey his gratitude. When Harry looked back at Charlie, his bottom lip was pushed out in an exaggerated pouting expression.

"What about me?" His voice was full of mock sadness.

"_Fine," _Harry said with a false note of exasperation as he opened his arms wide enough to hug Charlie as well. Charlie grinned and pulled Harry flush against his body, squeezing tightly and lifting the smaller boy off the ground.

"So, shall we?" He said after releasing Harry, gesturing once more to the street lined with sparkling shopfronts. Harry nodded eagerly, and they set off in the direction of the closest store.

Charlie's POV

Shopping bags rested in piles around the place where I rested with Bill, pressing us up against the small section of wall that was not completely covered with clothing. We had already visited most of the clothing stores in _Atours Ruelle _and my calves were beginning to hurt from all the walking and standing around. Harry, rather than feeling exhausted, appeared to grow livelier and bubblier as time went on, his smile exuberant and his eyes sparkling. We had been shopping for just over three hours now, and this was the last item Harry said he would be trying on. The final item that he _knew_ he would be trying on. He had clearly enjoyed himself the whole time.

The only exception to this had been when I had just finished paying for the shirts Harry had chosen, and Harry had noticed the large amount of gold I had used to pay for the goods. He had then grown concerned that he was being thoughtless in spending my money, and had said that it didn't seem right for him to use it when he had such a large amount of gold in his own vault at Gringotts.

It had taken me a while to explain to him that my job as a dragon keeper was _very _well paid, and that it was only with great reluctance that I accepted that my family was too proud to take any money I offered to them. He had seemed pleased with this response, and had once more taken to shopping with great excitement. Happiness was what I had wanted Harry to get from his birthday present after all.

He emerged from the changing room, drawing me out of my reflections and forcing me to gasp as he stopped in front of us. He had changed into a pair of deepest black, _sinfully _tight leather trousers which seemed to cling to his body like a second skin. Each curve and muscle was outlined clearly, and as my eyes widened to take in the sight before me, I heard a similar gasp from Bill.

Harry examined our reactions, both of our mouths hanging open, and smiled a small smile, looking self-conscious. "So do you like them?" But I couldn't find the words to respond, and judging by the silence, neither could Bill. Harry continued in a rushed voice, "Because I think they are nice but if you two don't like them then I'll just put them back." He moved to turn away from us, and I had to say something.

"Harry, those are the _sexiest _things I've ever seen. They look absolutely... stunning. You _have _to get them." The last part of my response sounded more like an order than a compliment, but Harry didn't seem to mind. His beamed at us and I couldn't help flashing a grin back, my face turning a pink shade just as his did.

"Really? You really like them?" He sounded beyond pleased.

"Harry, if I wasn't getting married tomorrow to the most beautiful woman in the world," Bill's voice was deep and sincere with a hint of amusement, "I shudder to think what I might be doing to you right now." His eyes seemed to glaze over for a few seconds before a blush spread furiously across his face. I had to admit that it was difficult to remain leaning against the wall when I could so easily reach out and run my hands down those perfect legs.

Harry went back into the changing room and emerged minutes later in the same clothes he had worn from the burrow, the pants slung over his arm. He gave them to me and I paid for them while Bill struggled to lift all the shopping bags. We left the shop and stopped in the street again, the light now fading slowly.

"Well, I think now might be a good time Charlie," and Bill winked conspicuously at me, forcing me to suppress a laugh which threatened to escape from between my lips. "I'll take these back to the cottage and prepare things for Harry." And with that, he disapparated, but not before the sound of his laughter reached my ears.

I turned to find Harry staring at me, his expression slightly confused. "What did he mean Charlie? A good time for what?"

I fought to keep a straight face as I answered. "Well, you'll be spending the night at Bill and Fleur's cottage so that we can keep up the safe house charade. Bill and I will be returning to the Burrow, so you'll have to be alone just for tonight. But before we leave, we still have one last thing we need to do." Harry's expression displayed greater confusion, as well as interest. I took his hand and led him down the street to one of the stores we had passed earlier but not bothered to enter. An elegant sign proclaimed it to be '_Madame Vetements Bridal Boutique_'.

Comprehension dawned on Harry's face, and he turned to me, his eyes widened in horror and disbelief. "No."

"Harry, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Harriet is also going to be one of Fleur's bridesmaids." I was biting my lip now to keep from laughing.

"_No." _His eyes darted from my face to the bridal store and back as we continued to move towards it, him struggling against my strong grip on his hand.

"Harry, you need a dress. It's part of the plan, and nobody will know that it's you anyway."

"But – but couldn't I just... Couldn't we make it so that... I won't do it." He crossed his arms over his chest in defiance, and I stopped dragging him. I bent down so that my eyes were level with his and brushed the stray strands of his long silky hair out of his eyes.

"Harry, Bill and Fleur really want you to be there, and Fleur insisted that you would be a bridesmaid alongside her sister, Gabriella. You must know that she still adores you, and we couldn't persuade her to leave you out of the procession." I smiled warmly at Harry, and his expression softened somewhat. "The dress has already been made, and all you need to do is try it on. It'll be quick and painless." I removed the small vial of polyjuice potion, a silvery colour, from my pocket and held it towards Harry.

Harry looked as if he were deep in thought, and said nothing for several minutes. Finally, he sighed and took the vial, muttering under his breath something that sounded suspiciously like "_I'll get you back for this." _

"Brilliant. Now come on, the sooner we get in there the sooner this will all be over."I tried to sound reassuring but couldn't help smiling. Harry glared at me, his beautiful green eyes fierce. We entered the store, and Harry moved into one of the changing rooms to take the polyjuice potion while I waited. A soft voice called to me from behind the door.

"Charlie? Can you pass me the dress please?" He sounded embarrassed, and I passed the dress under the door for him to try on. After some shuffling, he called to me again. "Charlie, could you tell the lady that I am ready to be measured now?"

"Sure, I'll get her and then, if you like, I'll go outside until you're finished." I was smiling, but I didn't want to make this any harder for him than it already was.

"Ok. Thanks." He sounded just a little happier, and I informed the owner of the store that Harriet was waiting to be measured before I left.

I had been waiting for quite a while before Harry finally emerged from the bridal shop, looking just as he had before he had entered it although now blushing profusely. He came over to me and said that he was finished.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" I tried not to smile too widely. Harry grimaced in an exaggerated manner before smiling up at me.

"No, it was fine, I guess." He looked down and began twirling the golden streak of hair between his fingers.

"Harry," I put one hand on his shoulder and lifted his chin with the other so that his eyes met mine. "You're going to look absolutely beautiful at the wedding tomorrow. Don't feel embarrassed. Nobody will even know that it's you. And the only thing you've really got to worry about," and at this, I flashed my teeth in an amused smile, "is Fred and George and their wandering hands." Harry's expression shifted to one of alarm, and I chuckled before spinning, still holding Harry's shoulder, and apparating to Bill and Fleur's cottage.

* * *

Send me your reviews! If you like it or find anything at all wrong with it, I would really like to know!


	5. Linger

Harry's POV

The day of the wedding had finally arrived, and yet it still seemed far too soon to me. There had been no time to prepare myself for what was to come. Yesterday's birthday celebrations and shopping trip, combined with the fact that I hadn't had a decent night's sleep that night, had meant that almost as soon as Charlie and Bill had left the cottage to return to the Burrow, I was curled up in bed, fast asleep.

But now there was no exhaustion to cloud my mind, no heavy eyes or aching limbs to distract me from what was to come. I felt it rush over me, an overwhelming mixture of emotions and feelings. Excitement, anticipation and happiness jumbled together along with embarrassment, fear and nervousness. I was panicking, and my whole body trembled as I stood before the large mirror to examine my reflection.

The body of Harriet, Fleur's part-veela, seventeen year old, _female_ cousin stood in the reflection, and I had to admit that she _was _extremely attractive. Her skin seemed to emit a silvery glow that was shared by her platinum blonde, almost white hair. The golden dress, which had been tailored to fit perfectly, clung to impossibly long legs and perfect breasts. Her lips were a rich red and her eyes a deep green, almost the same colour as my own. And yet I still felt self-conscious and irrationally nervous.

I had to constantly remind myself that only three other people, Charlie, Bill and Fleur, would know that it was me when I turned up at the wedding. If I didn't, I quickly began to hyperventilate and my face would be tinged with a deep red. Just thinking about _all those people _staring at me as I stood before them, trying to act the part of a bridesmaid, sent shivers down my spine. I took a deep breath and moved away from the mirror, the dress swirling with even the slightest movement as if it were made to do so.

The cottage was eerily quiet, something which in my exhausted state last night I had not noticed but which was very obvious to me now. The sound of breezes passing over the sea in the distance was all that I could hear. And then the silence was broken.

**CRACK!**

I jumped at the loud noise, the sound of somebody apparating into the cottage, right outside the door to the room in which I stood in a dress, in another person's body. A familiar, comforting voice called to me from the other side. "Harry, can I come in?"

Blood rushed into my face as my hands flew up into my hair in an attempt to smooth further the already perfect locks. "Ok." Even to me, my voice sounded shaky, nervous. The door opened slowly, and I saw that it was Charlie who stood on the threshold, his stylish black dress robes clinging to his body and accentuating every muscle. He looked stunning, and if it weren't for his expression I may have stood there admiring him for a while longer.

His eyes were searching, and his mouth hung open in obvious shock. Perhaps he hadn't been expecting to see me already wearing the golden dress. His face turned a slight pink colour and I couldn't help laughing, but the sound came out as more of a giggle, which was a surprise.

Charlie reacted to the sound, closing his mouth and flashing a brilliant smile before moving closer to me so that he now stood alongside me, and we could both be seen in the mirrors reflection. I saw his eyes travel over my body and couldn't help myself as I looked over him. I hadn't seen him dressed in such format attire before, and I had to admit that he looked very debonair, especially with his long red hair tied back into a ponytail that reminded me of Bill's. I looked up to find his piercing blue eyes staring into my own, or what were now mine anyway.

He turned away from the mirror and looked at me, and I turned to face him, looking down at the ridiculous golden heels that I was wearing. I'd never be able to walk in these. A gentle finger brushed against the skin of my throat before tilting my head so that my eyes once again met his. He was smiling a warm, loving smile, and I felt the blush increase in intensity.

"Harry... _Harriet_. You look absolutely gorgeous." His hand moved across my skin and stroked the silver hair that hung down across my shoulder. "And the dress looks amazing." His eyes once more travelled up and down my body.

"Umm... thanks Charlie. But I think these shoes are going to cause some problems." I held out one foot to give him a clear view of said heel and immediately realised that this was a mistake. My other foot, which had remained on the ground as my sole support, wobbled, my leg buckled and I was falling. But strong arms, so fast I wouldn't have thought it possible, reached out and caught me, pulling me flush against Charlie's body as my hands found purchase on his broad shoulders. His arms wrapped around my waist and he was smiling, his perfect white teeth gleaming.

"I see what you mean about the shoes," he said, his voice full of amusement. "Maybe I'll just have to hold you like this through the entire wedding." To emphasise his point, he pulled me even tighter against him. For a fraction of a second I thought I saw a gleam in his eye, a repressed longing, however it was lost in the warmth of his smile.

"Before we go," his voice held a note of uncertainty instead of amusement now, "I would like to give you something." From his pocket he removed a black box, the type that is used to hold jewellery. My eyes widened but I said nothing, concentrating on the box rather than Charlie's face. "It's just a small gift, something I thought might look nice on you." He sounded almost embarrassed now, and his hands trembled as he lifted the lid.

Inside was what could only be a necklace, although it had no opening so that it could be fastened around the neck. It was gold, a single delicate ring that formed a perfect circle and joined at the front with an elegant swirling pattern. From this swirl hung an emerald, deep green and dazzling. I reached out with forced steadiness and lifted the necklace, holding it up so that I could take in its simple, graceful form. But how was I supposed to put it on? It certainly would not fit over my head, and there was no opening as far as I could see.

Seeing my obvious confusion, Charlie took the necklace and stood behind me. His arms encircled me, the necklace held directly in front of my throat, and he moved it closer. The cool gold of the necklace touched my throat and melted as if to allow my neck to pass through. When Charlie's arms stopped moving, the necklace was in position, leaving no space between the metal and my skin and yet not choking me as I would have expected. It was the perfect size, like a collar, a ring that had been placed around my neck. The emerald hung down, resting in the hollow of my throat.

"Beautiful," Charlie whispered into my ear, his arms, still encircling me, moving down to rest around my waist.

"Charlie, it's amazing. Absolutely... amazing." I didn't miss the fact that the emerald was the exact shade of green that my own eyes were, and I'm sure Charlie hadn't either.

"Well, we'd better be going Harry." His voice returned to its usual, natural sound and he let go of me, only holding onto one hand. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." I smiled at him, and we were spinning in the pressing darkness once more.

General POV

Harry walked slowly up the lane that led to the marquee which had been erected to house the wedding ceremony. Ahead of him, two elderly witches were walking in the same direction, accompanied by a middle-aged red haired man who Harry supposed to be a relative of the Weasleys. He felt awkward in the tight golden dress, but could not move any faster for fear of falling from the delicate heels he wore.

Eventually, he made it to the marquee and was taken to the Burrow where Fleur would be getting ready. Inside, Harry stood against a wall as Mrs Weasley rushed past him and out into the garden, still panicking about the preparations and seating arrangements. Ginny was sulking in a corner of the room, upset that she had not been chosen to be a bridesmaid by Fleur. Harry avoided that corner.

After a short while, Fleur descended from one of the upper floors, her hair styled elaborately beneath the Goblin-made tiara which had been leant to her by Ron's great-aunt Muriel. Her dress, a glimmering silver piece which seemed to make her skin glow even more than it already did, hung straight and elegant. She was closely followed down by what appeared at first glance to be a smaller version of herself, wearing instead a golden bridesmaids dress. Harry knew that this was of course her younger sister, Gabriella, the other bridesmaid.

Fleur's eyes darted around the room, landing on Harry. She smiled an enchanting smile as she made her way towards him, meeting him in the centre of the sitting room which was now empty. She spoke in French to Gabriella, who nodded and quickly departed, leaving the two alone.

"_Arriet," _she said, her tone dubious as she added an entirely unnecessary and exaggerated wink. "I hope you have had a pleasant journey?" It was more of a question, and Harry observed that her English had improved greatly as he ignored yet another wink.

"It was perfectly fine, thank you." He smiled, and restrained himself from rolling his eyes as Fleur beamed at him, obviously enjoying the game that such a secret had allowed.

"How do I look?" Her voice was serious now, and she twirled to show Harry the entire dress. Clearly, the veela in her was in control at the moment, because she looked even prettier than usual, which was very impressive for a woman of Fleur's beauty.

"You look absolutely amazing," he answered honestly. "The dress really brings out your eyes and compliments your skin." Her smile widened and she wrapped her arms around him, the embrace delicate and yet full of feeling.

"I could say the same about you. You look beautiful, and the dress fits perfectly. I am so glad that you could make it _Arry-et." _She stretched the name into two separate parts, adding a wink and laughing at her own cleverness. "But we really must be moving so that we are ready to enter at the right time." And with this, she took his hand and they moved quickly down to the now full marquee, arranging themselves in a line outside the closed entrance flaps. To Harry's horror, he was placed at the front and would be the first to enter, followed by Gabriella and then Fleur.

Fleur leaned forward to give him instructions on when to enter, and then moved away, leaving Harry trembling, clutching a bouquet of golden flowers. Music, soft and delicate, seemed to fill the very air around them and the flaps were pulled back, revealing a marquee full of eyes which were all directed straight at Harry. He took a slow, measured step, keeping pace with the music as he made his way down the aisle.

Looking up, he saw the same small wizard who had presided over Dumbledore's funeral, and to his left stood two men dressed in black dress robes, a white rose protruding from the top buttonhole of each. Harry smiled widely, still blushing, as he recognised the familiar forms of Bill and Charlie, both of whom looked _very_ striking in their black attire, red hair tied back into ponytails. Casting his eyes around the crowd, he also spotted Ron and Hermione, Mr and Mrs Weasley and a very unhappy looking Ginny who was glaring piercingly at him.

After what seemed like an eternity, he had reached the end if the aisle and taken his position on the far right, all without stumbling once on his heels. He was very proud of himself.

Charlie's POV

I watched as liquid gold spread from the centre of the crowd, running under my feet and onwards until it solidified to form a wide dance floor. Chairs flew outwards, landing in small groups around tables which formed a ring around the space occupied by the dance floor. The fabric walls of the marquee had vanished, and slender golden poles appeared to be the only things holding the delicate canopy above my head. This had opened up beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and orchards fading into darkness, views which held no interest for me.

I scanned the crowd, which was dispersing, with couples taking their places on the dance floor while others retired to the tables to sit and talk. Music floated from the far corner of the floor, where a band had begun to play, mixing with the many voices of the guests and creating an enjoyable atmosphere. Dress robes and elaborate hats swirled and billowed, obscuring my view of those who had already moved from the immediate area. This was going to take a while.

I began moving through the crowd, my eyes searching for the person I really wanted to see. I needed to find Harry. I wanted to be there for him, to make sure that he was ok. But I couldn't see him anywhere, that golden dress and the silvery skin and hair seemed to elude me. And what if he wasn't ok? What if he was having trouble handling the situation, or something had happened to him? I began to feel panic rising in my chest and quickened my search amongst the crowd. The sky was dark now, and the only light seemed to radiate from the marquee canopy above, casting a warm glow over the dancers.

And finally, just as I had really begun to worry, there he was. The beauty of Harriet's body was almost irresistible, but I knew that Harry was the person beneath it. And I knew that the appearance, at least not now, was not a fair representation of what was contained within. Because Harry was the most amazing person I had ever met, and his beauty only truly existed in his own body, and in his mind.

Harry was standing with two others, whom I instantly recognised as Fred and George. His face was flushed pink and he was looking down at his own feet as the twins stood on either side of him. And then I felt anger, and something akin to jealousy, as I watched. Fred's mouth was close to Harry's ear, whispering something that caused Harry to blush a deeper shade of pink. George had one hand on Harry's shoulder, grinning across at his twin as his other hand moved down Harry's side, coming to rest just above the curve of his hips.

What were they _doing_? Didn't they know that...? But I knew the answer to my unspoken question before I had finished it. No, they didn't know who that gorgeous girl really was. They had no idea that behind the sensuous curves, the flawless skin and luscious lips was Harry, their friend Harry. They knew this part-veela girl only as Harriet, and therefore could not possibly understand the utter wrongness of their behaviour.

But Harry knew who they were. He knew that the two older boys beside him now were Fred and George, people he had lived and laughed with. He knew all too well that those hands which were moving dangerously close to his arse, those lips which were closing in on his own, _really _shouldn't be. I could see this all in the way he ducked his head away, the way his hands trembled ever so slightly, the way his eyes were frantically moving while he continued to direct them downwards. I had to do something.

"Fred. George," I called, and their faces as they looked in my direction displayed similar annoyance at my interruption. I moved quickly towards them, and Harry looked up at me, his eyes full of thanks and relief. I had reached them by now, and I took one of Harry's hands and held it gently before pressing it to my lips. "And who is this beautiful creature?"

"This," George spoke reluctantly, with an edge of menace, "is Harriet, one of Fleur's cousins." I raised my eyebrows in mock intrigue as I turned my gaze back to Harry.

"And," Fred continued, his voice more of a threat, "she was just about to dance with one of _us._"

Harry looked at me pleadingly before he spoke, his voice a high pitched, extremely attractive sound. "Yes. They were just arguing over who would have the honour of the first dance. I don't want to cause any trouble."

I knew what he had in mind, and followed. "Well, in _that _case, Harriet, would you mind if I took you first? That way, these two can settle their little dispute and you will not cause any trouble at all." I smiled down at Harry, flashing my teeth just to annoy the twins.

"That sounds like an _excellent _idea." And Harry stepped forwards and took my hand in a firm grip. We turned, but not before I saw the disgruntled expressions on both of my brother's faces. I chuckled, and Harry giggled beside me.

I knew that the twins would be watching us, waiting for the beautiful part-veela cousin to be left alone so that they could pounce. I deliberately moved into the centre of the dance floor, and Harry looked up at me questioningly. "We're going to have to play along for now. Wouldn't want to _arouse _any unnecessary suspicion." I grinned at the blush my inflection had caused, and moved one hand down to wrap around Harry's waist.

Shock flitted over Harry's features for a fraction of second before he allowed me to take hold of his hand with my free one, his other hand moving up to rest lightly on my shoulder. His eyes met mine as I began to move, stepping slowly in time with the music. To anybody watching, this would look like just another couple twirling amongst the other dancers.

"Thank you, Charlie. I don't know how I would have got out of that one on my own. I'm very lucky you happened to see me." His voice, the voice of Harriet, was strangely seductive. I decided that it was best not to tell him that I had been searching for him, not just because I was reluctant to admit it, but also because he may take it as a lack of confidence in him.

"I did warn you about their wandering hands." His faced turned a bright red at this comment. "But maybe there was no need. Maybe you enjoyed it." I raised one eyebrow and smirked at him, expecting his face to deepen in colour. Instead, his eyes flashed an icy glare and he stomped down hard on my foot. I bit my lip to hold back a gasp of pain. Those high heels were dangerous in more ways than one.

He smiled angelically, the picture of innocence as we continued to spin and twirl with the music. "I don't know what you mean." His tone was dismissive, however I was not going to let go of it that easily.

"Really?" My voice was thick with sarcasm while my expression conveyed polite surprise. I lowered my mouth to his ear, just as Fred's had been, and I let my lips brush against the skin as I spoke. "So you didn't like it when Fred did this?" I blew softly across the skin, and Harry shuddered.

"No." His voice was firm as he tried to maintain his composure.

"And you didn't enjoy the feeling of," I trailed my hands down his sides, "strong hands sliding down your sides?" I held his eyes with my own, staring into those green depths which resembled his own as I continued tracing intricate patterns through the fabric before stopping just above the curve of his hips.

"No." But this time, his voice was less steady, almost breathless. His cheeks were a beautiful shade of pink, and were rapidly growing redder.

"Oh?" My voice was casual, teasing. "But surely you must have loved it when those same strong hands touched you... somewhere else?" His eyes widened as my hands moved to rest on his arse, one on each cheek as we swayed to the music. "Didn't it feel good when you were pulled against warm, solid flesh?" I pulled him flush against my body, chuckling as he gasped at the contact. It took him a few seconds to respond this time.

"Umm... No?" His answer was more of a question, whispered to himself. I was so close, it would only take just a little more.

"Hmm..." I purred, pretending to think. And then I smiled down at his stunned face, a bright red in the warm glow of the light from above. "Well then, you cannot deny that the feeling of anothers lips on your own wasn't pleasant. In fact, I'd wager that you found it more that simply pleasant. Would that be right?"

"Umm... we didn't-" But I already knew that, and so I pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. My eyes locked with his, I bent down slightly, angling my face before leaning in and pressing my lips against his. They were soft and warm, melting as they came into contact with my own. I was gentle, and yet he froze, and we stood there, no longer dancing, but revelling in the sensations. I pulled away, and his face eventually shifted into a smile. That was all I needed.

I moved one hand away from where it still rested on his arse and placed it behind his head, feeling as I did so his own arms encircle my neck. I crushed our lips together, his parting. I felt his breath in my own mouth, and pushed my tongue into his. It was warm, and wet, and it was everything I would ever need. I didn't take any notice of the crowd still spinning around us, the eyes that lingered on our entwined forms. I didn't care. All I wanted was Harry.

And finally we pulled apart, sucking in deep lungfuls of much needed oxygen. His eyes sparkled beautifully, and his lips formed a smile that was so beautiful I couldn't bear to let it go. I opened my mouth to speak. I needed to say something. Anything. Everything. But it was not my voice which rang through the marquee. And nor was it I who made the entire wedding come to a sudden halt, silent and still.

I swung my head around to find the source of the deep, slow voice. A silvery lynx, obviously a patronus, occupied the centre of the dance floor, and all eyes were on it. I knew that it belonged to Kingsley Shacklebolt, a member of the Order, and my mind raced over possibilities as I waited for it to speak again. When it did, the message was short and blunt.

"_The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

There was a moment, a fraction of a second, during which all was silent. And then screams and yells filled the air, desperate shouting for family and friends. I turned to Harry, my hands gripping his shoulders tightly.

"Harry. Go. _Go __**NOW!**_You need to get out of here. Staying would only put everyone in more danger." As I said this, the sounds of people apparating filled my ears. People were disappearing just as hooded figures sprang from thin air, wands at the ready. "Harry! **GO!** We'll be fine, just _leave!_"

He nodded, his expression shifting from shock to sorrow as he spun, vanishing. I needed to help the others. I would find him later.

Harry's POV

The suffocating, pressing darkness of apparition gave way to an empty, silent darkness. There had been no time to think. No time to weigh my options. There had only been Charlie's voice, and it had told me to go. Leave him to deal with the Death Eaters and escape. How could I have left him? Left them all to fight while I ran like a coward? But there had been no time, and it was too late to return now.

Only Bill, Charlie and Fleur had known that I had been present at the wedding, and hopefully that would keep those who hadn't escaped safe. I knew in my heart that staying would have only caused more trouble, possibly resulting in my capture. But the fact that I had abandoned them weighed heavily on me, guilt and fear paralysing me as I stood, alone in the emptiness of Shell Cottage.

It had been the first place to enter my mind when Charlie had told me to leave. It was safe, and friendly and inviting. However, I knew that this was no longer the case. If the Ministry truly had fallen, and the Death Eaters showing up at the wedding without any trouble from the protective enchantments was a very solid piece of evidence for this theory, then they would know about Shell Cottage. They would probably search every house and building remotely connected to the Order, and if they showed up now, then I would be in real trouble. I needed to leave now.

I began to collect my possessions, bags of new clothing, books and anything else that I could lay my hands on, shoving them all unceremoniously into the new trunk I had been given. It was just minutes before I had finished packing, but with each passing second I knew that the possibility of being discovered increased. Where would I go? Where could I possibly take refuge when it was highly likely that the homes of my friends were all currently being or about to be searched by people who would not hesitate to kill those who attempted to help me?

A flash of silver caught my eye as I spun around; searching for anything I had forgotten in my hurried packing, a metallic object gleaming in the pale moonlight. Sirius's key. The key to a home that had been left to me as a gift on my seventeenth birthday. A key that I had forgotten about in all the excitement of the wedding. The key to my survival.

My hand darted out towards it, closing over the cold silver and taking it from where it rested on the dresser by the window. Sirius would never realise just how much I appreciated his gift. And with this thought my eyes began to water. This place he had left for me, surely it had not been known to anybody else. And that would make it safe, from both the Death Eaters working in the Ministry as well as safe for everybody who I would now have no need to endanger with my presence. I pulled out my wand and held it just above the key.

**CRACK! **

The silence was pierced by the sound of someone apparating, and by the sounds of it they were quite close to the cottage.

**CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! **

More people had arrived, and I heard rough voices break the silence, voices which seemed to make the shadows move and the room shake. I realised that the shaking was due to my body, which had responded to the fear which clouded my mind by trembling violently. I looked down, my eyes wide with both shock and fear as I saw my body begin to shift and change, reverting once more back to its original shape. The golden dress, which had just moments ago fit perfectly, became uncomfortable. The fabric loosened in some places and stretched tight in others, and the heels became painful as the straps dug into my feet.

There were more urgent things to worry about, however, such as the group of unfamiliar voices which grew louder as their owners approached the cottage. I struggled to hold back a scream as the sound of the front door being blasted from its hinges echoed through the cottage. I needed to go.

Grabbing the handle of the heavy trunk with one hand, the same hand which held the key, I raised my wand, shifting my other hand to expose the key while still maintaining my grip on the trunk. _Tap. _The metal began to glow, an impossible amount of silvery light pouring from such a small object. The voices were getting closer, and loud footsteps sounded as they began to climb the stairs which would lead them straight to me. The light swirled and spun in patterns that would be beautiful if they weren't taking so long. I couldn't stop the shivers which ran down my back as the footsteps grew louder and louder.

Then suddenly the patterns stopped, still for just a moment before they closed in like a cage, and I thought I would be crushed to death. But they wrapped around my body, the trunk as well, and obscured all else from sight. Like apparition, I was pressed from all sides, but this was a warm feeling, the light embracing rather than crushing. And then it was gone, and I stood in the centre of a large room, an orange glow cast over every surface from several warm fires. And I knew that I was safe. That nobody would find me. That, for the moment, I could just breathe.


	6. Warm

Charlie's POV

Where is he? Maybe I didn't cast the spell exactly the right way. No, that isn't it. I tested it before I gave it to him. So where could he possibly be? And why isn't that _stupid _thing working?

This is the third day since I told him to go, to escape from the wedding before he could be captured by the Death Eaters, and still there has been no sign of him. The necklace I had given him, the one I had placed a tracking charm on, was for some reason not working. Whenever I tapped the matching anklet I wore, a thin golden ring with a single emerald set in the centre, nothing would happen. I had repeated this action every hour, any yet still I found myself at the Burrow rather than being taken to wherever Harry was.

Did that mean that he was dead? No. He couldn't be, we would have definitely heard from the Death Eaters if that was the case. They wouldn't keep the death of the wizarding world's last great hope a secret. So he must be somewhere I cannot reach him, but none of the Order members seemed to know of any places he possibly could have gone. He certainly wasn't with any of them; the Death Eaters had made sure of that by searching every single structure with even the smallest ties to the Order.

I _need_ to find him. I _need_ to be there with him. I can't just stand around doing nothing like everybody else is. They are all worried as well, but they won't do anything because the house is being watched, and any suspicious activity may result in further questioning. And so all we can do is wait, wait as the minutes and hours drag by at an agonisingly slow pace.

I glanced at my watch. Two more minutes until it would be time to check again. I continued my pacing of the sitting room, ignoring the eyes of Ron and Hermione as they followed me. They were almost as worried as I was, I could see it in their eyes, but they knew that there was nothing that they could do to help find him, just as I knew that this anklet was my only chance, the last connection, our final link.

It was time, and so I reached down and tapped the emerald of the anklet, not expecting anything but still hoping. My eyes widened as I saw it glow, a warm green light emanating from the jewel. I looked up just in time to see the shocked expression plastered on Hermione's face before I was gone, the cosy sitting room of the burrow far behind me as ribbons of light spun and danced, filling my vision and taking me to him. I laughed, the sound euphoric as relief flooded through my veins. _Finally_.

And then the light faded, the walls of the Burrow replaced with fresh air, the fires with an icy breeze that prickled my skin. I was standing atop a mountain, amazing views of bare grassy plains and rocky outcrops stretching out before me. I heard a gasp and spun around; seeking the face of the person I knew to be the source. And there he was, his long black hair fluttering in the breeze and his mouth hanging open in shock.

I smiled, opening my mouth to speak, but suddenly all the air was pushed from my lungs. Harry had flung himself at me, his arms wrapping tightly around me as he crushed our bodies together. For a moment I did nothing, and then as I realised what had happened I wrapped my own arms around him, lifting him from the ground. His face, obscured from view by the mass of hair which was still being whipped around by the wind, pressed against my chest, seeking comfort.

We stood like this for what seemed like hours, two figures intertwined atop a mountain, far away from the fears and uncertainties of just minutes ago. I felt the warmth of his body against mine for the first time in three days, and I couldn't believe how much I had missed it. Missed him.

Eventually I released him, and he pulled away, staring into my eyes with his own beautiful green orbs. His smile was just as warm as the embrace, and I smiled back.

"Charlie! I've been here for _three days_ and I haven't heard anything. It's been absolutely horrible, and I didn't know what had happened, or if anyone had been hurt, or if you were alright, and - and... How did you find me?" I chuckled at his excitement and at the comical way in which his jubilant expression contradicted his words.

"It's ok now Harry. Everything is fine. Nobody was seriously injured, and the Death Eaters left us alone after they had finished questioning us. Nobody else knows that you were at the wedding, and everybody is safe." He exhaled in obvious relief as he heard my brief explanation. Clearly he had been very worried about what had happened after he had left.

"But why didn't anyone contact me. I haven't heard a thing, and it's been driving me insane. I was just about to go to the Burrow to find out in person when you showed up here." His voice contained a note of irritation, and I could easily sympathise. I had felt exactly the same way when there had been no messages from him, even though I knew that a message would be foolish and very dangerous.

"Harry, you _cannot_ go back to the Burrow. The Death Eaters are monitoring it, as well as every other Order member's house. If you appeared, they would know straight away. That's the reason why nobody could contact you. Owls, the floo network, every means of communication is being monitored, and I'm sure that they would notice a patronus, and then they would have just followed it here." I looked around, taking in the mountains and the grassy plains. "Where are we exactly?"

"Oh, this is my new home." He beamed at the last word, and I looked around again, checking to see if I had missed something. There was no sign of any structure, but before I could say anything he had begun again, asking a question I didn't really want to answer. "But Charlie, how did _you_ know that I was here? How could you have possibly found me?"

I felt a blush rise in my cheeks, and thought about how to answer. If I told him, he might be mad at me for placing the tracing charm on the necklace, which I had noticed he still wore around his neck. But I could see no other way to explain it, and I didn't want to lie to him. Hopefully he would take it as a sign of how much I cared for him rather than a lack of confidence in him. "Well, that necklace I gave you?" I reached out and brushed my fingers against it, stroking his neck in the same movement. "I sort of put a tracing charm on it so that I would be able to find you if ever I needed to. You know...just in case." I looked up into his face, expecting to see his eyes full of disapproval or irritation. But instead I saw that he too was blushing.

"That's...umm... really nice... thanks Charlie." He looked pleased and slightly embarrassed, his face angled towards the ground and his eyes looking up through soft lashes. "Please, come inside." He gestured over his shoulder as he turned and began to walk towards empty space.

"Umm... Harry? Where are you going?" He looked back at me, confusion evident in his expression as he glanced between me and the emptiness. And then realisation flashed across his features and he laughed.

"Oh, I completely forgot. You can't _see _it, can you? I'm the secret keeper, so I can see it but you won't be able to unless I tell you that it's there. Well Charlie," and his voice shifted into a tone of false grandeur, "welcome to _Gryphons Nest._"

For a second nothing happened, and then the rock beneath my feet began to tremble as something solid and huge slowly revealed itself, as if it was coming into focus. And then everything was still, and I looked up, my eyes travelling over the large shape as if daring it to disappear again. A tower had appeared where before only bare rock and grass had been, and it seemed to dominate the mountain on which it stood. Its curving walls of stone reminded me of a castle turret, an image only furthered by the graceful pointed roof that looked like something from a fairytale. From here, it looked as if there were three floors, the ground floor having no windows, the next a few windows, pointed arches of clear glass, and the top floor looking as if its walls were more glass than stone.

"Wow," I said, struggling for better words with which to describe this stunning structure. "Harry, it's... brilliant."

"I know. Sirius left it to me for my birthday, and everything is just perfect." His voice was high and excited, and his eyes shone as he looked over it himself. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the wooden door at the base of the tower. The door opened without a sound, and the warmth of the fire within struck me as we left the frosty breeze behind us. The room was circular, one large space with a staircase curving around alongside the wall. To one side there were benches lining the stone walls, forming a kitchen that opened onto a dining room complete with an excessively large table. The remainder of the space was open, perfect for large groups of people eating and talking together.

"Come on Charlie. You have to see the rest." Harry tugged at my hand impatiently, eager to give me a tour of his new place. He led the way up the stairs and into another large space, a sitting room containing a long, comfortable looking couch and several small coffee tables spread amongst a number of armchairs, all facing a large fireplace. Harry let me admire the room for just a few seconds before he pulled me across it to a door set into a wall which divided this level. Inside was a study, the walls lined with crowded bookcases and a solid looking desk placed in the centre of the room.

I moved to examine the large books on the shelves but stopped when I heard Harry's impatient voice. "Charlie, you can read the books _later._ But I want to show you the rest of the house _now_." Harry complained, and his eyes were almost pleading when I turned back to him.

"Ok, fine," I said in mock exasperation, and then smiled as his excitement spread to me. He took my hand again, leading me from the study and up the final flight of stairs. The top floor was split into two separate rooms, one far larger than the other. Windows gave a complete view of the surrounding landscape, sunlight lighting the room even though clouds filled the sky. A massive, four-poster bed, tall and bulky, dominated the centre of the room, which was obviously Harry's extremely large bedroom. The stone floor was covered with thick rugs of varying shades of red, matching the crimson hangings of the bed.

Harry led me into the other room through a wooden door, and my mouth fell open at the sight. This had to be the biggest bathroom I had ever seen, and that was saying something considering I had used the prefects bathroom at Hogwarts. The tiles of the walls and floor were a rich, shimmering gold, just like Harry's streak of golden hair. A shower took up one corner, a sink ran along a section of the wall, and an extremely large bathtub, supported by four clawed feet, stood in the centre of the room.

"Wow," I breathed again. Judging by the look on Harry's face, this was what he had really wanted me to see. "This is... absolutely amazing. How did Sirius afford this place?"

"I don't know actually. His letter didn't say, but I'd bet he had a lot more gold than we ever imagined. I mean, his family is a very old wizarding family, so there would have been quite a lot in his vault." He spoke in a nonchalant tone, clearly unworried about such matters.

"And this is all yours?" I couldn't understand why Sirius hadn't mentioned this place before.

"Yeah. Sirius was going to live here with me before..." He left the last part unspoken, his voice tinged with sadness at the memory. "He left it for me so that I could have a home, even though he wouldn't be here." Harry forced a smile, and I pulled him against my body in what I hoped was a comforting embrace. I couldn't bear to see him upset, those innocent eyes wet with tears. It just wasn't right.

I needed to change the subject to something that would drive this sadness away. Something that would excite Harry. "So... that would make me your first guest, correct?" I saw his eyes brighten at the word guest.

"Yes...?"

"Well then, it would seem that a housewarming gift is in order." I purposefully made my tone casual and indifferent. A huge smile spread across his face, and I could see no traces of the sadness left in his eyes. His reaction was just like what it had been when he had learnt of his birthday presents, and was exactly what I had been hoping for. I released him from the hug and instead placed my hands on his shoulders, leaning down slightly so that my eyes were level with his.

"Harry, I'm going to have to leave you so that-"

"No Charlie! You only just got here, you can't leave now. I've been alone for three days with nobody to talk to and-"

I cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. They were warm and he looked at me, one eyebrow raised and ready to argue against my leaving. "Harry, I have to go anyway. Everyone at the Burrow will still be worried about you, and I have to tell them that you're alright." I smiled reassuringly at him, removing my finger from his lips. "They won't be able to visit you because the Death Eaters are still keeping everyone under surveillance. But I _will _be back soon. I'll make it look like I'm returning to Romania so that they won't get suspicious. And then I will be able to come and stay with you here. Of course, that's only if you want me to..."

"Yes Charlie! Of course I want you to stay here with me. I just don't want you to leave." He bit his bottom lip, clearly uncertain about letting me go. "I guess it's the best plan though... and you _will _be returning with a present." The last part was added teasingly, and I chuckled softly.

"I'll be back very soon. Don't miss me." And with that, I planted a quick kiss on his cheek before turning and apparating back to the Burrow.

General POV

The loud crack of an apparition sounded in the Burrow, and all heads turned to see who it was that was now coming down the stairs. Long legs, clad in fitting brown leather, appeared first, followed by a loose white linen shirt. A tangle of long red hair preceded the glowing face of Charlie Weasley, and instantly the mood in the sitting room lightened.

"Charlie!" Mrs Weasley had been worried when her second eldest son had not returned almost immediately after disappearing, not just for him but also for Harry. "Did you find him? Is everything alright?" She bustled over to him, passing Ron, Hermione and Bill who were also eager to hear what he had to say.

"Yes, I found him. He's perfectly fine and is staying in a safe place for now." Charlie couldn't help smiling at everyone, who returned the smile upon hearing that their friend had not been captured by the Death Eaters. Hermione was the next to speak, because she had processed the information the fastest.

"But how did he escape? He couldn't possibly have known about the Ministry falling before us, and only half the people at the wedding managed to avoid being held for questioning. Exactly which safe house did you take him to?" She looked at him, her brown eyes searching as he struggled to find an answer that would not reveal Harry's attendance at the wedding. He glanced at Bill, who had raised his eyebrows and was waiting to see what Charlie would come up with.

"Well he didn't actually know that the Ministry had fallen, but he sort of figured out that something had happened when the Death Eaters showed up to try and find him. When I told him today, he wasn't too surprised." Charlie's mind raced as he formed convincing lies. "We had taken him to stay at Bill and Fleur's place, you know, Shell Cottage. Apparently he heard some voices and was able to apparate away just in time." Hermione's eyes narrowed, but before she could speak Bill's deep voice had filled the short silence.

"Yes, that would explain why we arrived home to find the front door blasted off its hinges. Judging by the mess they left behind, I would say that they had searched the whole place before they gave up. We delayed our honeymoon so that we would be able to clean up and reinforce the protective enchantments around the place. We'll probably be leaving later today." Charlie looked at Bill, his expression grateful. Bill just nodded.

"That's our Harry." Ron's voice was loud and confident. "Always one step ahead of the bad guys, he is. If it had been anybody else, they wouldn't have stood a chance." Ron seemed pleased with the news of his friend's safety and promptly returned to the quidditch magazine he had been reading before Charlie had arrived. The others were not so easily satisfied.

"But why didn't you bring him back with you? He most likely hasn't eaten well since you took him to the safe house; the poor dear's probably starving." Mrs Weasley seemed more worried about Harry's eating than she did about his safety.

"Mum, if I had brought him back we would have all been captured, including Harry. You _know_ that the house is being watched. If I were to just suddenly appear with Harry Potter, I don't think the Death Eaters would allow him to have a proper meal before they took him off. He's going to have to stay where he is for the moment. It's the safest place."

Hermione's inquiring voice was the first to respond yet again. "But where could he possibly be that is safe? Every house with even the smallest connection to the Order has probably been searched by now, and they'll have people monitoring them as well."

"Actually, it would appear that they have neglected to search the house belonging to one member of the Order." Charlie said, trying to hold back a smile, and Hermione raised one eyebrow sceptically.

"Whose?"

"Harry's."

"But Harry doesn't have a house." Mrs Weasley pointed out, even though everybody was already thinking the same thing. Everybody that is except Ron, who was not even bothering to listen to the conversation now that he had heard that Harry was safe.

"Harry _did _not have a house. However, on his seventeenth birthday, he was given a house by Sirius, who had made arrangements in the event of his death. Harry is now the owner of-" Charlie's voice cut off, and he was not able to speak the words even after he had cleared his throat. "Oh, I forgot. Harry's the secret keeper, so I can't say the name or tell you where it is. He'll have to do that himself, or give me a note with the information written on it. But anyway, the point is that Harry is staying at his own house, and nobody in the Ministry knows anything about it because they would not have thought to look into Sirius's records after he died."

Hermione seemed to be satisfied with this response, and relaxed from her interrogative stance. Mrs Weasley looked happy, and returned to the kitchen where she was now preparing lunch for everyone. Charlie moved over to sit with Bill at the table.

"So, Harry's really ok then?" Bill sounded genuinely concerned, his voice a whisper so as to keep the conversation between the two of them.

"Yes, he's absolutely fine. The only thing that was bothering him was his isolation from the rest of us, but I've promised to stay with him to keep him company." Bill raised an eyebrow at this. "What?"

"Well, if you and _Harriet's _behaviour at the wedding was anything to go by, I think you'll be doing more than just keeping him company." Bill winked, and Charlie blushed bright red.

"Oh... so you... err... you saw that?" He was looking down at the table, avoiding his brother's piercing gaze.

"Oh yes, I saw it. I could see it coming too. The way you acted around him when we were out shopping, I just knew that there would soon be something more if there already wasn't."

Charlie had always been closer to Bill than to any of his other siblings. It could have just been that he naturally looked to the eldest for advice or support, but Charlie felt that Bill understood him better than the rest of his family. They were comfortable sharing experiences and personal information with one another, and this had formed a strong bond of friendship.

"Well, actually... at the wedding, that was our first kiss, and we really haven't done anything else yet. I still don't know whether he's... you know... whether he fancies me. Or even whether he fancies _guys_ in general." Charlie looked up at Bill, and noticed that his brother looked pleased.

"Charlie, I was watching the two of you. There is no way he doesn't feel the same way about you. It may just take him a little while to realise that, or even just to act on those feelings. I think you should just give him some more time." He smiled warmly at Charlie, who returned the smile.

"Thanks Bill. Next time I come back, I'll bring a note from Harry so that you can come and see his new place. It's absolutely amazing, and I'm sure he would really appreciate the company." Charlie's brow furrowed as he thought of something else. "Speaking of having guests, I sort of promised to get Harry a housewarming present, and I was just wondering whether you had any suggestions."

Bill moved his fingers against his chin, thinking for a moment. "Well, Harry did lose Hedwig just a short time ago, so I wouldn't get him an owl just yet. But maybe some other magical creature, you know, some kind of pet. Although, it would have to stay with Harry inside most of the time, so a dragon or something similar may not be the best idea."

Charlie laughed, however he couldn't deny that once Bill had suggested a pet, his mind had immediately leapt to dragon. "Yeah, well I'll be heading to Romania today anyway." Bill looked a little confused at this. "It has to look like I'm returning to my position as dragon keeper. That way, the Death Eaters won't be suspicious about my absence, and I can go live with Harry. Once I enter the dragon reserve, I'll be able to apparate back to Harry, and the Death Eaters will never know because they have no way of getting inside." Bill nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that would mean that Harry would also have someone there to watch over him if anything were to happen. So maybe, if you're going to Romania anyway, you could stop by _Carmen's Creatures_ and see if they have something he might like. That place always surprises me, it's amazing some of the things Carmen sells there."

"Thanks, Bill." Charlie sounded truly relieved. "I was starting to panic because I want this to be something Harry will really enjoy. Some kind of pet would be just perfect as a housewarming gift. Ok then," Charlie rose from the table, speaking now to the room in general, "I think I'd better be off. It might be some time before I have a chance to visit again, so I need you to tell the others about Harry for me. Bye." He waved, turning, and vanished.

Charlie's POV

I pushed the heavy wooden door open slowly so as not to make any sound. I wanted to surprise Harry, catch him off guard. The door was completely silent, and I entered the Nest with the softest of footsteps, turning to close the door behind me. It closed without a sound, and I slowly lowered the trunk containing my clothes and other things to the floor, setting it down with the slightest tap from the stone. I turned from the door, planning to climb the stairs with just as much stealth, my thick travelling cloak rustling only infinitesimally with the movement.

**THUD!**

Something crashed into me, warm, soft and yet still driving the breath from my lungs as the speeding object collided with my hard chest. I stumbled, felling two arms wrapping around me and squeezing tightly, a face nuzzling into my chest.

"Charlie!" Harry's voice was more of a squeal, and I laughed, the booming sound slightly breathless as I tried to suck some air back into my lungs. Harry released me and took a step back, folding his arms over his chest, his bottom lip pushed out to form an adorable pout. "You said that you would be back soon, and I've been waiting for _hours._ I was worried that something might have happened, or that you weren't going to come back."

Harry's eyes revealed the depth of his concern, and I quickly began to explain myself. "I'm sorry, Harry. I needed to tell everyone what had happened, and then I had to go all the way to Romania so that it would look like I've returned to my job. I needed to make it obvious so that the Death Eaters wouldn't get suspicious and decide to stay in Romania to check whether I really was staying there. And, of course, it did take some time to find you a nice present."

Harry's eyes widened at this, and his pout turned into a smile as his arms unfolded from across his chest. He held them out expectantly, and I chuckled at how excited he was. I pulled from the inside of the travelling cloak I still wore a small box, similar in size to a shoe box but with small holes punched into the top of it to allow air inside. I placed it in Harry's hands and watched his face as he opened it.

He lifted the lid of the box and a red glow flooded over his features, creating shadows through the length of his long black hair. His eyes sparkled and his smile widened as he reached tentatively into the box, his hand scooping the contents up. Once he had it, he dropped the box, bring both hands together to cup the small bird in a secure hold. The fledgling's head swivelled from side to side, its beak emitting excited cheeps. The fluffy feathers, not yet fully formed and graceful as would occur with time, were a golden red, warm and bright like fire. Harry looked up at me, his expression full of wonder.

"Charlie... you got me a... a _phoenix?_" His eyes darted between my eyes and the small creature he held in his gentle hands. "Wow..." He held it up on one hand, and the small bird fluttered its tiny wings, shuffling from one little clawed foot to the next. It was amazingly cute, and as soon as I had seen the newly reborn phoenix in the store I had known that Harry would love it.

Phoenix's were very powerful magical creatures, and would only be loyal to powerful wizards who truly appreciated them. I knew that this one would stay with Harry, because not only was he powerful, but he was also very caring and loving, the perfect companion. As well as this, I had heard that Harry had been quite close to Dumbledore's phoenix Fawkes, and knew that a phoenix of his own would be a very valuable pet.

"Do you like it?" I asked, even though his reaction had already told me that he did. He had brought it up to his cheek and it was nuzzling against his glowing skin, cheeping wildly. I had noticed before, on his seventeenth birthday, the way Harry's skin seemed to glow with a subtle golden light. It only added to his unearthly beauty by accentuating his delicate features and raven locks.

"It's perfect Charlie." He turned and smiled at it, and I smiled when I saw it peck the corner of his mouth affectionately. Harry laughed, the bell-like sound mixing with the continued cheeping of the phoenix. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"The owner of the shop I bought it from, Carmen, she said it was a girl. What are you going to call her?" He looked at me, his eyes not really focused as he thought for a second.

"I'm going to call her... _Spoons_." I raised my eyebrow at this. "Sort of like Fawkes, you know, Dumbledore's phoenix." He looked unsure; however the small bird seemed to like the name, the pitch of its noises rising as they increased in frequency also.

"I think it's a great name Harry. And it would seem that she agrees with me." Harry smiled, and I stroked the top of Spoons' head, patting down the small feathers which stuck up at the top. Spoons rubbed her head against my finger and then returned to cuddling against Harry's cheek. "I'm glad you like your present."

In this room, the ground floor, there were no windows and therefore no natural light besides the small amount which would filter down the staircase in the middle of the day. Having just come inside, I knew that it was dark already. I looked at my watch which told me that it was close to dinner time, and then I glanced at the kitchen over the dining table. It didn't look like it had been used much by Harry, who was probably very limited in his supply of food.

"What have you been eating while you've been living here?" I turned to Harry, who was wearing a sheepish and slightly apologetic expression.

"Sirius left some food for me just in case I needed it, but it's mostly just tinned stuff and it doesn't taste very good. I haven't been able to buy some fresh food because I can't exactly leave the house, so I was going to ask you to get some while you were out... but I sort of forgot."

"Well, it's lucky my mother is so concerned about your diet, or I wouldn't have thought to get some supplies while I was gone." I moved over to where my trunk still lay by the door, opening it and extracting several large bags from the magically enlarged trunk's insides. "I've got about enough to last a week, so I'll only have to leave when we run out. I also bought a few other necessities just in case you didn't already have them." I placed the bags on the table and slipped out of the travelling cloak I was still wearing.

"Then I'll definitely be cooking dinner. I need to say thanks somehow, and I _am_ the host. So why don't you take your things upstairs and have a bath or something while I prepare the food?" He was smiling; Spoons now perched on his shoulder.

"That sounds great. I'll just put my things on the couch upstairs then." I hadn't seen a spare bedroom on my tour, and I didn't want to make Harry uncomfortable by sleeping in the same room as him.

"Nonsense Charlie, you'll be sharing my bed. It's more than big enough to fit both of us comfortably... that is, only if you want to." He looked away, his cheeks turning pink. I could picture his huge bed, soft and warm with him in it.

"That would be great Harry. I'll be back in a few minutes." I bent down and placed a swift kiss on his unsuspecting lips before walking casually up the stairs.

Harry's POV

Dinner passed quickly, the two of us feeding small pieces of food from our own plates to the tiny Spoons, who hopped playfully on the surface of the table. I thought that I had done a good job with the cooking, especially since I hadn't done much of it before. Charlie, on the other hand, thought that the food was amazing, filling the space between mouthfuls with compliments. I couldn't help blushing at his kind words, and he chuckled when he saw this, his dazzling blue eyes travelling over my face.

But I wasn't really paying that much attention to the food, or to what Charlie was saying. Ever since he had walked down those stairs, his hair still damp and his tanned skin glistening in the firelight, I had been unable to draw my eyes away from his body and face. His chest, even through the white linen shirt he wore, was noticeably well muscled, and his skin held a satiny quality. Of course, his eyes were devastatingly beautiful, but that didn't stop my own from tracing his firm jaw or his warm lips. I had looked up a few times to find him staring at me, watching as I explored his body with my eyes. My face had turned a bright red at those times, and even though he tried not to, Charlie was unable to stop himself from chuckling under his breath.

Once I had finished cleaning the dishes, with some help from Charlie, we had moved up to the sitting room, where we were now arranging a small bed for Spoons. "But won't she need some kind of perch? Birds usually have perches." Even though I knew very little about the sleeping arrangements of a phoenix, I was quite sure that birds usually slept on some form of perch. But Charlie just smiled.

"Yes, she will need a perch, but only once she's grown a bit. Right now, while she's still so small, she needs something to sleep on that she can't fall from." Spoons, who was in the palm of his hand, chirped indignantly and pecked his finger. Charlie wasn't hurt, but he seemed to get the message. "Ok, ok. You're a very strong bird. But you still can't have a perch." He said this in a fatherly way, placing the small phoenix on a large cushion a short distance from the fire.

By this time, it was quite late, and I was feeling a bit tired. I tried, and failed, to hold back a yawn. Charlie's quick eyes noticed, and he wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me against his side. "I think it might be time for us to get some sleep as well."

"Yeah. I haven't had a good night's sleep since I got here." He looked at me, concerned. "I was too busy worrying about you and everybody else at the Burrow. When I woke up, it would feel as if I'd only been asleep for a couple of hours."

"Well, tonight, you'll have nothing to worry about. And I'll be here if you need me." He kept his arm wrapped around me as we climbed the final set of stairs, moving towards the massive bed which dominated the centre of the room. I untangled myself from his hold and moved over to where my trunk lay, taking from it a pair of long cotton sleeping pants. I walked into the bathroom and changed, leaving my clothes on the floor outside the door.

When I returned to the bed, I had to stifle a gasp. Charlie, now clad only in a pair of black boxers, was sprawled across one side, his arms stretched above his head. My eyes travelled over the lines of his abs and along his strong arms and legs. When I finally looked up, I saw that he was smiling at me. I moved onto the bed, falling onto the soft mattress beside him while trying to avoid his eyes by curling up onto my side. "Goodnight," I said, taking my wand from beside the bed and flicking it at the fire before placing it back again. The lights faded, only the faint glow of the embers remaining.

"Goodnight," was Charlie's reply, surprisingly close to my ear. I felt his strong arms wrap around my body, pulling me against him as he curved his body around my own. His chest was firm against my back, his skin satin and warm. His head rested behind me, and I could feel each gentle breath as it tickled my neck through the silky strands of my hair. The quiet sounds of his breathing were the last I heard before I drifted away, giving myself over to dreams and darkness.


	7. Feel

Harry's POV

Light, the brilliant pink and orange colour of the sunrise I had become accustomed to, caressed my body as I lay on the bed, warming my skin and creating a gentle tingling feeling. My eyelids fluttered, adjusting to the gentle light of a new day, taking in what was before me. From where I lay I was able to see half of the circular bedroom, the many windows showing both the rising sun and the receding darkness. It was very early, and yet for the first time in days I felt rejuvenated and fully awake.

I couldn't move though, not because of any physical restriction, but because I did not want to wake Charlie. After his trip to Romania, he had returned more tired than he had realised, and I wanted him to rest a little longer. His embrace, even in sleep, seemed to be filled with comfort and warmth. The strong muscles of his arms encircled my smaller body, pulling me against his firm chest and holding me close to his heart. I wriggled slightly so that I would be facing him, his arms still holding me with the added advantage of being able to see his face.

It was very close to my own, just inches away, and I could feel each breath he took blowing against my face. He smelled of vanilla and rain, and I found myself breathing in the intoxicating fragrance which seemed to radiate from his skin. His hair, long and shaggy, hung like crimson curtains down each side of his face, falling across broad shoulders and spilling over his smooth neck. All of Charlie was smooth, and I moved my hands slowly to trace delicate patterns onto his skin, following the lines of his muscles.

I was suddenly struck by a strong desire to see whether Charlie tasted as good as he smelled. I moved my face closer to his own, looking at his eyes for any sign that he might be waking. Tentatively, I extended my tongue so that the tip was hovering over the luscious surface of his lips. And then I trailed it over the length of his bottom lip, feeling its smooth, moist texture and tasting the vanilla rain scent I had detected earlier. Charlie was delicious, and I couldn't hold back from licking his lips again and again, completely absorbed by the taste and feel.

I did this several times, only stopping when the corner of his lips twitched, curving upwards into an uneven smile. I looked up to see two deep blue eyes, sparkling and most definitely awake, staring back at me. He made a noise deep in his throat that could only be described as a purr before tightening his hold and rolling over, pulling me into a lying position on top of him.

"That certainly was a nice way to be woken up." He smiled, his expression amused and relaxed. Then he brought one of his hands up and into my hair, bringing my face down so that it was again close to his own. His tongue emerged from between those perfect lips and slowly traced my own, warm and wet. I smiled down at him, and he sighed in contentment. "Lovely."

"Mmm..." I agreed, nuzzling into his shoulder to hide the faint blush that had risen in my cheeks. I felt his hands trail through my long hair, stroking my head and neck and brushing against the exposed skin of my back to where the strands ended. I shivered at his touch, placing small kisses along his shoulder. I rolled over, and Charlie released me from the embrace. I moved so that I was now lying on my side, facing him as he did the same. His hands continued to play with my hair, but his eyes held my own as I struggled for words.

There was something I needed to know before I went any further, but I was hesitant to ask. "Charlie?" My voice was little more than a whisper, and I looked down at the mattress to avoid his gaze.

"Yes, Harry?" I could hear the curiosity in his voice but continued to focus on the mattress.

"I was wondering... I mean, I really wanted to know..." This was going to be difficult. "Do you remember at the wedding, just before it was... umm... interrupted?"

His voice conveyed the smile which I couldn't bring myself to look at. "Of course I remember. That was when I kissed you for the first time. Why?" He sounded relaxed and yet I could hear the questions burning beneath the calm.

"Well, I wanted to know... about that, sort of."

"What about it?" He still sounded casual, one hand stroking the length of the golden streak.

"I... wanted to know whether you were... umm... kissing me?" I looked up into his face, and I could see that he was confused. His eyebrows pulled together slightly and his eyes seemed to search my own for some kind of meaning to my words.

"I don't understand." The calm was gone, and it sounded as if his breathing had stopped. I steeled myself so that I could say the next part without stopping.

"Charlie, were you kissing me because you wanted to kiss _me, _or were you kissing me because you wanted to kiss _Harriet_." I saw realisation flash across his face, and then he was laughing, a deep sound full of relief and amusement. I quickly continued. "Because if it was just Harriet, then I'd understand completely. She _was_ part-veela, and I never expected you to kiss me, so I really shouldn't have even thought-"

My rambling was cut off by his finger against my lips, and one hand moved up to press against the side of my face. I could feel the blood burning in my cheeks and would have looked away if it weren't for his eyes which held me irresistibly in place. "Harry, is that what you were worried about? Because if it was, then I would feel a great deal better. I thought it would be something much worse." He chuckled again, and I tried to prevent the hurt I felt from entering my expression. He seemed to see it in my eyes though, and leant in so that his breath brushed against my skin.

"Harry, I kissed _you_ at the wedding, and only _you_. It didn't matter to me that you were part-veela, or that you were wearing that sinfully revealing dress, _or _that you were a girl at the time. None of that mattered at all, because I'd rather have you, and only you, and everything about you, than anybody else. I was kissing _you._" He smiled a warm and loving smile, and I felt my own answering smile form unbidden on my lips.

"You... you wanted me?" I still couldn't quite believe it, but I was hoping that he had meant it.

"Not wanted Harry, because I still _want _you. When you saved my life on that motorcycle, I saw that you were brave and selfless and good, and I wanted to help you, to be there for you whenever you needed me. And then, during that week at the Burrow, I got to know you, and I saw that you were even better than I had ever realised. You were a friend, you were always kind, and you lived and acted with your heart. And I knew that I would protect you, and that you meant more to me than I could ever comprehend. That's why I put that tracking charm on the necklace, in the hope that I would find you if ever you needed me to."

"When you disappeared, I almost went crazy worrying about what might have happened. I didn't know where you were, or if you were even alive, and the tracking charm wasn't working. But I found you, and when I saw you it was as if my world was full again. Like there was light in my life once again. So yes Harry, I was kissing you, and even though I didn't know if you wanted me, I was certain that I would want you forever."

I couldn't breathe, and my heart was racing in my chest, hammering in my ears. _Charlie wanted me. Charlie __**wants**__ me. _These two thoughts spun inside my head, and I had to close my eyes for a few seconds so that I could regain some semblance of control. When I opened them again I saw Charlie, staring straight at me, a small smile on his lips that spoke of love as well as uncertainty. What could I say to him? How could I possibly tell him how I felt when he had just said it all in words that I would never be able to match?

The answer was to say nothing, to instead show how I felt, and so I crushed my lips against his own, twining my hands through his hair and holding our faces together. I felt his tongue against my lips and instinctively parted them, allowing it to enter my mouth. I moved my own tongue against his, feeling the warmth of the muscle as it massaged my own and the delicious wetness of his mouth. With one hand still in his hair, I slid the other along the muscled expanse of his chest, feeling his satin skin and hard muscle.

And then it was time to break away, releasing my hold on him and gasping for breath just as he did. I rolled onto my back, staring up at the crimson canopy above us. I cloud hear him breathing just as hard beside me, and concentrated on calming my body as my chest rose and fell in its attempts to suck in more oxygen. Finally he spoke.

"That was... amazing Harry." I turned to see him grinning, his teeth contrasting against the lips which were now flushed with blood. "So I take it that you feel the same about me?" And I laughed, his laughter joining mine as we thought about what had just happened, what we had just revealed to both each other and to ourselves. After several minutes, Charlie spoke again, his tone curious. "Harry, if you don't mind me asking, why are you still wearing that necklace I gave you?"

I blushed in embarrassment as I considered my answer. "Well... there are two reasons actually. The first is that I... sort of... well, I don't really know how to get it off." Charlie had simply pushed it and the necklace had melted to allow my neck into the centre of the ring. When I had tried this, there had been no magical response from the cool metal. "But that's not why, really, because even if I could get it off, I would still be wearing it." I blushed deeper and said the next part quickly. "I wear it because it makes me feel like I belong to you. Like you can find me and are with me and like I mean something to you." I kept my eyes focused on the sheets of the bed, but was forced to look at Charlie when he drew my chin up with his hand.

"Harry, you don't have to wear that to show me that you feel the same way about me as I do about you. You mean everything to me, and I would never leave you. And if something does happen to you, then I will be right there by your side, and I will do everything I can to make it better." My heart accelerated rapidly, and I placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. I knew that he meant what he said, however I decided that I would still wear the necklace anyway. It felt _right_.

We lay there, minutes passing in silence until finally it was time to move. Charlie rose, his tanned skin brilliant in the now yellow-pink light of the morning as he moved off the bed.

"I am going downstairs to cook a delicious breakfast for you. Why don't you have a shower or a bath while I get things ready?" I looked away from his body, clad only in a pair of black boxers, and nodded, rising from the warmth of the mattress. I watched as he left the room before I moved into the bathroom, deciding that a good long shower would be just perfect to help settle the nervous feeling in my stomach.

Once I had finished I took from my trunk a pair of red boxers, putting them on and descending to the ground floor where Charlie was just finishing the eggs to go with the food already assembled on the table, which included bacon, toast and fresh orange juice. "Help yourself, I'll only be a minute," he called over his shoulder before resuming his soft humming.

I took a seat at the table, noticing that Charlie had brought Spoons down from her place in the sitting room to join us for breakfast. She cheeped happily as I stroked her fluffy feathers, hopping around as my hand followed her tiny form. She began to nibble the tip of my finger, and I replaced it with a small piece of toast as I began to fill my plate with the food which filled the entire room with a mouth-watering aroma.

But I did not begin to eat, partly because I wanted to wait for Charlie, but mostly due to the fact that I could not draw my eyes away from him long enough to concentrate on the fork I held in my hand. He stood with his back to me, directing his wand at a metal pan as it floated over a hot fire, the bacon sizzling noisily in the heat. His back rippled with muscles, hidden beneath a deceptively smooth layer of satiny skin which I knew tasted as good as it smelt.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, still facing away, and my eyes were drawn to his silk clad arse, a sight I found extremely attractive. Even through the loose pair of boxers it was clear that even Charlie's arse was well muscled, firm and perfect. And then he turned around, and I quickly looked away, still embarrassed even though he had told me that he wanted me.

He took his place at the table, setting the plate of bacon in the centre where Spoons quickly descended on it, pecking with her small beak at one of the large pieces. I smiled at this, reaching out and tearing off small pieces which she would easily be able to swallow. I could feel Charlie's eyes on my face as I did this, and I looked up into a pair of glittering eyes that were a deep shade of blue.

"So I was thinking that today maybe I could get Bill and Fleur to come and visit," he said, placing a small amount of egg into his mouth. I hadn't seen Bill, or anyone other than Charlie for that matter, since the wedding, and was instantly excited by this suggestion.

"That'd be great. And then Ron and Hermione and everyone else can come as well. They can all visit me and see Gryphons Nest, I'm sure they'd love that." I thought of their reactions to the tower and the impressive rooms within, especially the bathroom. I placed a piece of toast in my mouth, biting off a smaller piece and chewing slowly.

"Harry, they can't all come over. I mean, it's not that I don't want them to, and even if I didn't, you're the one who gets to decide who can come in. But you have to remember that the Burrow is being watched by Death Eaters and that if anybody were to disappear from there, especially your two best friends, then it would be obvious that they are hiding something. I think that, for the time being, you're just going to have to understand that seeing them would only put them in greater danger. I'm sorry, Harry." He smiled apologetically at me, and I knew that he was right. I couldn't be selfish and endanger everyone just so that I could see them.

"But how do you expect to get Bill and Fleur to come if everybody's being watched? Wouldn't it be just as dangerous for them?" I thought of Bill, one of my more recent friends but a person I liked and trusted nonetheless. I wouldn't put him or his wife at risk.

"Well, Bill and Fleur's wedding was only four days ago, so they should still be on their honeymoon. I'm sure it would be simple to lose a couple of Death Eaters in the busy streets of Paris for a few hours. And then they can visit us and return without arousing any suspicion. That is, of course, only if you want to let them in."

"Of course I want them to come. I trust them just as much as I trust you, and it would be nice to talk to them, especially after they went to so much trouble so that I could attend their wedding." I focused on eating the food before me for several minutes, not wanting it to get cold. Spoons' cheerful noises continued as she attacked the small pile of toast Charlie had arranged for her, diving at it with an attempt at ferocity that only looked cute due to her size.

"Does this mean that I get to come with you to find them? Because I'll need to tell them the address if they want to find this place." I gestured to the room in general, trying to hide the excitement I felt bubbling inside me. This would be the first time I had left the Nest since arriving, and having been inside for four days would have been extremely frustrating if Charlie hadn't shown up. The opportunity to get some fresh air was very tempting.

"No." His voice was firm and held a note of finality, and I looked at him, shocked to get such a strong reaction. He saw my expression and relaxed, however he still looked a little tense. "I'm sorry Harry, but you cannot leave this place. We can't be sure that they aren't tracking you, and if they are it would be very dangerous for you to leave the safety of such a protected place." I was disappointed, but I knew that Charlie was right yet again. And he was only trying to protect me. "You can pass on the address through a note, which I can deliver to Bill and Fleur and then easily destroy the evidence."

I nodded, rifling through one of the drawers for a piece of parchment and a quill. Once I had written the necessary information, I folded it and gave it to Bill, leaning against the table as he rose from his seat. "So, when will you be leaving?"

"I think it would be best if I found them as early as possible. That way, they will be able to spend most of the day here and still return to their hotel at night as if they had just been wandering through Paris the whole time." He moved to stand in front of me, pressing his body against my own and forcing me to lean back over the table. He leant over me, moving his head so that as he spoke his lips brushed against my ear.

"And while I'm gone," his hands trailed down my sides and settled on my hips, "you'd better change into something more... _appropriate. _We can't have you running around dressed like this while our guests are here." He traced along the edges of my red boxers, grinding against them with his own black boxers. "It would be far too... _distracting._" He pushed his tongue out and traced the shell of my ear with it.

And then he was walking away, headed upstairs to get changed before he left. I struggled to return my breathing to a steady rhythm, and I could have sworn I heard him chuckle ever so softly.

General POV

Charlie pushed open the solid wooden door, entering the warmth of the ground floor of the tower quickly followed by Bill and Fleur. Outside they had been unable to appreciate the impressive structure that was Gryphons Nest due to the storm which blew sheets of icy droplets across the mountain top, instantly soaking the three and chilling them to the bone in the short time during which they were exposed. The sound of the wind, which had howled in their ears, was cut off completely as Charlie closed the door, the fire heated air causing them to shiver as it came into contact with their chilled skin.

Bill drew his wand and muttered a quick drying spell, their clothes and hair losing all traces of the freezing water. Fleur shook her platinum blonde hair, which was now tangled into messy ropes due to the fierce wind. Bill looked around him, taking in the large space, the kitchen and the huge dining table as well as the curving stone staircase. Charlie looked around too; however he was not observing the furniture or the room. His eyes instead searched for Harry, whom he had half expected to be tackled by the moment he had entered the tower. But the room, apart from himself, Bill and Fleur, was empty.

"Let's go up to the sitting room. It's much more comfortable and I'm sure Harry won't mind if I show you around. He's probably still getting dressed." Charlie's trip to Paris and back had only taken around ten minutes, and Harry was surely either still in the shower or dressing. He led them up the stairs and into the sitting room, where Bill and Fleur sat down on the large couch before the fire and he took one of the armchairs facing them.

"This place is great. When you told me that it was amazing Charlie, I had no idea that it was going to be this good. The rooms are so big, and everything is just so warm and comfortable." Bill's compliments were addressed to Charlie, who felt a jolt of pride even though he knew that this was Harry's place and not his.

"Yes, it is lovely. I can just imagine how nice it would look on a good day, with sunlight streaming in through these windows," said Fleur, gesturing towards the windows which at the moment looked like waterfalls as the rain poured down the glass on the outside. Fleur's English had improved greatly since her arrival in England, and her accent was now almost entirely gone, much to the relief of those who had found great annoyance in her pronunciation. "But where is 'Arry?"

Charlie smiled at the way her accent had remained only for Harry's name, knowing that it would probably annoy him. He opened his mouth to answer, however before he could say anything a bell-like voice sounded from above, both elegant and attractive. "Coming!"

Harry, excited to see the friends who had given him such a wonderful birthday present for the first time since the wedding, bounded down the stairs, his eyes sparkling. As Charlie had instructed, Harry had changed into something more _appropriate,_ however his choice of clothing would hardly be seen as any less tempting. He had chosen to wear the pair of black leather trousers he had purchased when they had visited _Atours Ruelle_, as well as a plain white t-shirt which clung to his chest. He knew that this was not what Charlie would call _more appropriate_, but he just couldn't resist.

His eyes flashed across Bill and Fleur's stunned faces and came to rest on Charlie's shocked expression. He laughed softly to himself as he heard two gasps and a barely muffled giggle. Charlie's mouth hung open for several seconds as his eyes roamed hungrily over Harry's body, taking in the curves and muscles which were now clearly visible. Harry pretended not to notice the reactions he had received, the only sign of acknowledgment being the slight widening of his grin.

He made his way over to the couch, where Bill and Fleur rose to greet him. He hugged them both warmly, truly pleased that they had agreed to take some time out of their honeymoon just to see him. Fleur looked a little jealous as she ran her hands through his long silky hair, comparing it to her own which was now ruffled and twisted due to the wind. When Harry hugged Bill, he noticed a faint blush in the older man's cheeks and pushed his body closer, aware of Charlie watching him with wide eyes.

"Bill, Fleur, I'm so glad you came. I know that you were on your honeymoon, but Charlie said that it was the only time that you two would be able to avoid suspicion from the Death Eaters while disappearing for half a day." Harry beamed at them both and motioned for them to once again take their places on the large couch. He then moved over to the armchair where Charlie sat and settled himself on the larger man's lap, his back pressing against the muscled chest and his leather clad legs draped over the firm thighs beneath him. Charlie's eyes widened at this, and Bill raised an eyebrow at Harry, grinning as he realised what was happening.

"This place is amazing Harry. I can't believe how nice and warm it is in here. And the view really must be spectacular on clear days." Bill's voice was deep and hinted at the amusement he concealed as he watched his brother struggle to regain his composure. Harry's teeth gleamed as he smiled in response to the compliment.

"Yes, it truly is. And the sunsets are absolutely amazing because you can see everything light up right to the horizon. Sirius couldn't have picked a better place." Charlie wrapped his arms around Harry, resting his head on the smaller boys shoulder and breathing in the intoxicating aroma of Harry's hair, a strong honeysuckle scent.

"Sirius really did have good taste. Such an incredible location too. Far away from everyone, so that makes it perfect for you to stay hidden, and it's big enough so that you won't feel restricted even though you can't go outside. I'm glad that we were able to come and see it Harry," Bill said, his arm slung around Fleur, "even if we can only stay for a short time."

"You should see the rooms upstairs." Charlie's voice was a little strained as he concentrated on continuing the conversation rather than the feel of the smooth body rubbing against him. "They're the best, and the bathroom is especially impressive. The prefect's bathroom at Hogwarts is basic in comparison."

"Yes! Come and see." Harry jumped up, breaking Charlies hold in his excitement. He grabbed both Bill and Fleur's hands, practically pulling them up the staircase behind him. Charlie followed at a more reasonable pace, chuckling silently to himself.

Harry proceeded to show Bill and Fleur around his bedroom and the enormous golden bathroom, delighted as they continued to compliment each room of his home. He then led them back down into the sitting room so that he could show them the study, its walls lined with shelves full of thick books and rolls of parchment. A soft cheeping reminded Harry of Charlie's gift, and he scooped the tiny form of Spoons into his hands, placing her on his shoulder so that she could be admired by Bill and Fleur.

"Wow Harry! Only very powerful wizards can claim a phoenix as their own. They just disappear if they don't want to be around you. You are very lucky to have one; they have the most amazing abilities." Bill sounded truly impressed.

"And it is so cute," squealed Fleur, stroking Spoons' head with delicate fingers. "Adorable, her feathers feel as soft as your hair 'Arry." Harry wince at the accent placed on his name, however decided that it would be best to ignore it.

Once he had finished showing off his home and his new pet, they all moved down to the kitchen where Charlie began to prepare lunch while Harry sat at the table asking about everybody else at the Burrow and how they were doing. The ground floor was darker than the rest of the house because it had no windows and even the purple-grey light of the storm outside helped to illuminate the upper floors. This did not mean that it was cold, as the glow of the large fire as well as the heat it produced warmed the large space.

Charlie seemed relieved to have some form of distraction, focusing on the task at hand in order to avoid becoming lost in the vision that was Harry. But the preparation of the lunch could only occupy his thoughts for so long, and he was forced to shake his head a few times so that he could concentrate.

Bill, on the other hand, seemed to centre all his attention on Harry rather than on what anybody was saying or doing. His blue eyes, not as striking as Charlie's but piercing all the same, travelled over Harry's arms and face, taking in every inch of his exposed skin. Harry had angled himself in his chair so that he was facing Fleur, who seemed to be the only one answering his questions about the Order members and his friends who remained at the Burrow. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Bill staring at him, and he shifted in his seat, beginning to feel uncomfortable under the scrutinising gaze.

"So you think that Ron and Hermione will be returning to Hogwarts?" Harry was growing irritated with the lack of reliable information Fleur was providing him with. Of course, she wouldn't know any of the details, but he still expected her to have listened to the conversations of those around her. She had left the Burrow just a short while ago, and yet it seemed that she knew less than Harry did, and he had been gone for almost a week.

"I think that they are planning to return, because the other day I saw-" But her answer was cut off by Bill's deep, serious voice.

"Harry, have you been practicing any new spells on yourself?" Harry turned to face him, noticing that Bill's eyes continued to search his face.

"Err... no. Not since you told me that I shouldn't do it anymore unless I was being supervised. Why?" This question was quite out of place considering the current conversation was centred not around Harry but around the activities of the Order and his friends.

"Your skin is glowing." This answer was even more unexpected than the question, and Harry was unable to respond, looking instead down at his exposed arm. He could see no change in it since this morning, nothing remarkable or out of the ordinary. Charlie turned from the kitchen benches to face the table.

"Harry's skin has always sort of glowed. Like a golden light is shining on it. But it's been doing that for a while now." Charlie's voice was relaxed as he tried to avoid looking at Harry too closely.

"When did you first notice it?" Bill's intense tone and his severe expression contradicted Charlie's own casual one.

"Hmm... Well, the first time I can remember being aware of it was on the night of Harry's birthday, when I went downstairs and found him experimenting with his new powers." Charlie flashed a grin at Harry, who smiled back at him.

"Do you mind if I put out the fire for a moment?" Without waiting for a response, Bill drew his wand and pointed it at the fire, which quickly died and left the room in near darkness. There seemed to be two sources of light in the windowless room. The first was the upper floor, where light from the fire upstairs cast an orange glow down the staircase. The second and far more interesting source was Harry, his skin actually casting a soft golden glow over his chair and the table.

"Wow," Charlie breathed, moving forward and stroking Harry's hand. Harry stared with wide eyes at his own arm and the light which radiated out from it.

"He is... beautiful." Fleur sounded truly astonished. Harry registered this comment, knowing that coming from a part-veela, it was particularly noteworthy.

"Hmm..." was Bill's only response, and using his wand he brought the fire back to life, its strong orange light masking the glow of Harry's skin once more.

"What does that mean?" Charlie sounded slightly concerned now, afraid that Harry may be suffering from some illness or curse. Although whatever it was didn't seem to be doing him any harm at the moment.

"Well, I've only ever read about this in a few books, and I've never actually seen it. But I can't think of anything else that could be causing it, and the circumstances seem to fit perfectly." All eyes were now on Bill, waiting for the next piece of information. "It's known as the 'Blaze of Power' or 'Light of Magic', and it is extremely rare. Apparently, when a very powerful witch or wizard comes of age, their full magical potential is realised and they gain control of their true powers. Of course, there have only ever been a few witches or wizards powerful enough for this to happen, and it would seem that Harry is among them."

The eyes which had been focused on Bill now turned to Harry, expressions of awe evident on the faces of Bill, Fleur and Charlie. Harry was still having difficulty understanding what Bill had just told them. It was Charlie who responded first. "So if you're right, then what would that mean exactly?" Bill looked to Harry as he answered instead of replying directly to Charlie.

"Harry, if I'm right, and I believe that I am, then that would mean that you are one of the most powerful people in wizarding history. Dumbledore, who you know is one of the greatest wizards of all time, experienced this, but from what I've heard it was nowhere near as powerful as this. Harry, you're practically shining. Usually it's a very subtle thing, something similar to the way a veela's skin radiates a silver glow. Your golden glow is much stronger, and therefore you are at a much greater risk."

"Risk of what?" Charlie sounded worried, glancing at Harry as if he were trying to determine whether he looked as if he were ill or in pain.

"Once the full power of a person is realised, it is supposed to be put to use or channelled into powerful spells for the first few months until they learn to control it. If it isn't, eventually it will break free of its own accord, most likely killing the person in the process. Harry's energy is building up, and being trapped inside, there is no way he could release it without destroying the Nest at the same time. He has far too much magic and even the simplest spell would be amplified into something that would quickly grow out of control." Bill thought for a minute, blank eyes staring at him as each of their minds absorbed what he had just told them, and then his laughter boomed in the heavy silence. Charlie frowned.

"I don't see how this is at all funny Bill. How can you laugh when Harry could be ripped apart from the inside by his own magic at any minute?" Charlie was angry that his brother seemed to care so little for Harry. Fleur still looked as if she hadn't quite grasped what was happening, and Harry looked a little confused as well, however he showed no signs of fear.

Bill struggled to calm himself, his eyes full of amusement as he breathed slowly to stop the laughter. Charlie was glaring at him, and when Bill met his gaze he had to fight to hold back another wave of laughter which threatened to burst from his lips. "Charlie," said Bill, his voice strained as he attempted to explain his reaction. "I said that there was no way he could release it. Well, that's not _entirely _correct. There is _one _way he could release this pent up energy without destroying the house." Bill couldn't stop himself, his laughter sounding louder than before.

Charlie relaxed as Bill's news gave him hope that there was a way to deal with this problem, but he was still confused by his brother's reaction. "What is it?"

They all waited patiently as Bill once again regained control, waiting anxiously for the explanation that would finally clear things up. Bill looked at Harry as he spoke. "Of the few accounts I've read of such occurrences, only two had this same problem. Well, they had the same solution to the problem anyway. Rather than channelling their excess energy into powerful spells, which in an indoor environment would be impossible, they channelled this energy into... other _activities._" Bill looked around and saw that nobody had figured out the solution yet. Their expressions were still expectant. He turned to Harry, his expression serious and yet hinting at amusement. "Harry, you have to have sex."

Harry's POV

_What?_

_I..._

_..._

_..._

_Have to have... sex?_

The room around me went still, and not even the soft sounds of breathing could be heard in the heavy silence. My eyes, wide with shock and confusion, stared straight ahead and yet I saw nothing, heard nothing but the blood pounding in my ears, felt nothing but confusion.

And then the sound of Bill's booming laughter, this time accompanied by Fleur's high-pitched giggling, shattered the stillness, making me jump. My eyes focused and I saw tears roll down both of their cheeks, red with mirth as their arms clutched at their sides.

I couldn't say anything, and there was no way I was going to risk looking at the face of the man behind me. I imagined shock, amusement, disgust and fear in equal measures contorting those stunning features into some horrible mask, a mask that would only stab me through with pain if I were to see it. So I sat in frozen nothingness, waiting.

Finally the sounds of amusement died away, and I saw Bill rubbing his jaw. Good, I hope it hurt. Just a small spiteful pain that would ease the suffering I was sure to go through when I finally looked up into the eyes I could sense above me. With delicate pale hands Fleur tucked loose strands of tangled platinum blonde hair behind her ears, shaking as she deliberately took deep breaths to steady herself. My cheeks burned red with blood as curious eyes watched for my reaction, and I decided that I had endure enough embarrassment. I couldn't stand any more laughter.

I slammed my hands down on the wooden table, the sound not nearly loud enough to be satisfying but the pain enough to make me wince. I pushed the chair, which groaned as it slid reluctantly across the stone floor and away from the table. I jumped to my feet and spun quickly, wanting to leave, wanting to hide from those eyes which would follow me. But my path was blocked, two strong arms wrapping around my waist and crushing me against a firm and comforting chest.

It took me a few seconds to realise what was happening, and then I flung my arms around his body, burying my face, now streaming with humiliated and frightened tears, into the soft fabric behind which hard muscles lay. Of _course_ Charlie would be there. How could I have even thought that he would turn from me, leave me? Just this morning he had told me that he would never leave me, that he would be by my side and that he would do anything to help me. Gentle hands stroked through my hair and across the skin of my neck, soothing me as the anger I had felt evaporated just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Harry, it's ok. You're going to be alright. I won't let anything hurt you, not even yourself." Charlie whispered these words into my ear, hugging me tightly and sharing a warmth that made everything he said impossible to doubt. And then his voice grew louder, directed at the two people still sitting at the table.

"How could you laugh at this? Don't you see that Harry is terrified? Are you trying to make this even harder for him? He's only seventeen Bill, and something like this would be hard to deal with even if he weren't still so young." Charlie sounded angry, and I knew that it was only because of how I was reacting. And I knew that I had overreacted. It wasn't their fault.

"We're really sorry Harry." Bill sounded sincere and I turned to look at him, seeing that his eyes were now full of concern rather than amusement. The laughter seemed to have died as both he and Fleur realised that they had not acted appropriately. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed, not when this is so serious and your life really is at risk. We didn't mean to upset you."

"Yes, we did not wish to embarrass you 'Arry. Will you forgive us?" Fleur sounded horrified that she had hurt my feelings, and I knew that neither of them had intended to.

"Of course I forgive you. Neither of you knew that I would react like that. Actually, I'm sorry for making such a big deal out of it. It's my fault, and you shouldn't blame yourselves." Fleur smiled hesitantly at me, and I beamed back, the tension lifting almost immediately.

"Harry, it's not your fault. It's just something that happens and we don't blame you," said Charlie, moving his hands onto my shoulders and leaning down so that he was level with the my eyes. "And we will help you. You are going to be fine."

"Thanks Charlie." I felt a blush rise in my cheeks as I saw the affection and care in his eyes. He smiled, releasing me so that I could turn and face Bill and Fleur, who were now standing just a short distance away. "Bill, how long would you say that I have until I err... until the magic becomes too much?"

"Well, I don't really know that much about it because there aren't too many accounts of these things happening. But I'd recommend you take... umm, _preventative _measures as soon as possible. I've never heard or read of a case where the person glowed so strongly, and that could just be because you are different, or it could be because you haven't had a chance to do anything about it yet."

"Oh" was all that I could say, the image of magic consuming me filling my mind and causing me to shudder. Charlie, who was watching me, took this to mean something different.

"Harry, you don't have to do this... you know, with me. I don't want to force you to do something you're not ready for, and I'm sure we could easily find a girl willing to... help with your situation." I was shocked for a moment as I saw the love and concern in his sapphire eyes.

"Charlie, I... I couldn't do this with anybody else. I wouldn't. I want you to be the one Charlie, I want you. But only if you want it as well." I looked down at the ground, avoiding his eyes, but his fingers pulled my face up to meet his, and I felt his lips against my own, soft and warm and passionate. They were gone too soon.

"Harry, I would do anything for you. The only thing standing in the way is whether or not you are ready. I want you, but I want you to want me back." His eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as he studied my face, searching for any uncertainty or worry. I knew that there was none to find.

"I'm ready." I was about to kiss him when the sound of someone clearing their throat drew me back to reality. Charlie chuckled and I blushed as I saw Bill and Fleur standing to the side, their cheeks pink and embarrassed smiles on their lips. "Oh. Sorry."

"Harry, we know that this is very important, so we think it would be best if we left now so that you can be safe again." Bill sounded serious although the blush in his cheeks gave the impression of awkwardness.

"You'll visit again, right?" I didn't want to force them away when they had risked the journey just to see me.

"Sure. As soon as we can. We wouldn't leave quite so soon if it weren't necessary." They both smiled and I waved at them as they turned and left, closing the wooden door behind them. Charlie, standing beside me, slung one arm around my shoulder and pulled me against his side.

"You're absolutely sure Harry?"

"Definitely."

Charlie sighed, false resignation in the sound, and then, so quickly that there was no time to react, he had pulled me up into his arms, cradling me against his chest as he climbed the two flights of stairs to the bedroom.

As Charlie neared the bed, I tilted my head up and licked along his jaw, stopping to suck on his chin before trailing my tongue down his neck. The skin was smooth and held that distinctive vanilla and rain flavour that was all Charlie. I felt a soft rocking motion as Charlie lowered me onto the bed, gently placing me in the centre before crawling on top of me.

He leaned down and pressed his warm lips against my own, his tongue dancing along my bottom lip and pleading for entrance. I parted my lips and felt his tongue delve into my mouth, hot and wet and delicious as it ran over my tongue in its explorations. Large hands made their way up my torso, taking with them the white t-shirt. I raised my arms to allow him to pull it over my head, watching as he cast it aside and looked down at my bare chest, faint outlines of softer muscles covered by creamy golden skin.

He flashed a smile at me before tracing down the centre with his tongue, across to circle around one sensitive nipple before he nibbled gently. I gasped as he did this, and hearing this he swirled his tongue around the bud of flesh before moving to the left one and repeating the action. He placed gentle kisses on my skin in between licks and tender bites, delighting in the whimpering that I could not hold back.

I moved my hands over his back, trailing them down until I felt the hem of his shirt and pulled. He lifted his head away from my skin so that I could pull the shirt over his head, grinning when it was fully removed. I pushed him gently and he rolled onto his back, allowing me to position myself on top of him and admire his sculpted chest. The red light of late afternoon spilled in through the windows, giving Charlie's tanned skin a fiery glow. Beneath my fingers his skin felt like satin and clung to his well defined muscles, his abs and pecs forming hard lines and flat planes. His body was breathtakingly beautiful, delicious and irresistible.

I leant down and traced the outline of his pecs with my tongue, gliding over smooth skin that tasted as mouth watering as it smelt. I heard a sharp intake of breath as I placed my mouth around one of his nipples, biting down slightly harder than he had and eliciting a moan in response. I followed the lines of his abs with my tongue, kissing at random and sucking hard in several spots to leave red marks. And finally I returned to his mouth, throwing myself into the kiss and probing his mouth with my tongue, savouring the taste of his mouth and lips.

The kiss lasted for a lifetime, and yet I wanted more so badly I whimpered when he broke away. He smiled up at me and rolled, taking his place on top once more and pressing his firm chest against my own. His arms were positioned on either side of my head, supporting most of his weight and holding his head just out of reach of my desperate mouth. I felt his hard member as he pressed against my leg, grinding upwards and causing me to moan at the friction which I hadn't realised was missing. My back arched in an attempt to prolong the sensation, but this was unnecessary as he continued to grind up and down, moaning softly as I gripped his shoulders. The leather of my pants was beginning to feel far too tight, and I could imagine that Charlie's tight blue jeans were feeling the same.

"Ch-Charlie... _more." _My voice was just a whisper as his eyes stared down at me, capturing me in their brilliant blue depths. He seemed to hear me though as he moved down, his hands tugging at the waist of my pants. I lifted my legs and squirmed as he pulled them down together with the red boxers I wore underneath, leaving me completely naked apart from the necklace I still wore. He threw the pants to the side as well, and I felt very vulnerable beneath him as his eyes roamed over my legs and erection.

Before I could understand what he was doing, his tongue was travelling up the base of my erection, warm and wet as it moved over sensitive skin. I cried out in shock and I could tell that he was smiling. I raised my head so that I could see him, but all I caught was a glimpse as his mouth as it enveloped the head of my cock, causing me to drop back to the comfortable mattress. His tongue swirled around the tip and it was all I could do to stop myself from screaming.

And then the impossible warmth and wetness moved lower, taking in the entire length of my cock as I writhed beneath him. Charlie placed his hands on my waist to keep me from thrusting upwards and then began to slide up and down the length, sucking and swirling at the same time. My hands gripped the sheets and I moaned uncontrollably. This felt like nothing I had ever experienced before, and I could feel my release building. When I was able to open my eyes I saw that my skin was glowing even more brightly, pulsating faintly in time with my heartbeat.

Just as I felt my muscles tightening, seconds away from pure bliss, the warmth was gone, Charlie pulling away. I whimpered pitifully at the loss of contact, desperate for it to return and finish the job. Then lips crushed against my own, a skilled tongue thrusting into my mouth and allowing me to taste myself. Our breath mixed as we panted into each other, chests heaving from the exhilaration. Charlie lifted himself off me, on all fours above me.

"Need... lube," he breathed, placing quick a kiss between each word, "be... right... back." And he shuffled over to the side of the bed, stepping off and bending down to retrieve said object from his trunk. The tight denim of his jeans clung to the hard mounds of his arse, outlining the muscled cheeks and the dimples on each side. I inhaled at the sight, imagining what it would look like when that layer of material was removed.

Charlie turned back around and noticed me staring, flashing a cheeky smile before he threw the small bottle onto the bed beside me. His large hands moved slowly as they travelled teasingly over his abs, coming to rest on the belt buckle before deft fingers unfastened it and removed the belt. Charlie dropped it to the side and chuckled softly, probably at the expression of anticipation on my face. His hands grasped both his jeans and his boxers and slowly drew them down, revealing first the hard muscles of his thighs and then the hard length of his erection.

I gasped. It was far bigger than my own, thicker and longer as it stood proudly against his stomach. It looked amazing and slightly intimidating, and I swallowed nervously as I thought about where it would be in just a few short moments. Charlie stepped out of his jeans and crawled onto the bed towards me, his teeth a brilliant white against the pink of his lips, wearing nothing but the anklet. He pressed his now fully exposed body against me, grinding our erections together and stifling my moans with demanding lips. The skin on skin contact felt so good as I arched my back, struggling for more.

I heard a soft click, the opening of the bottle, and a wet sound that was the lube substance being poured onto his hand. It had a strong smell of strawberries, nothing compared to Charlie's aroma but pleasant all the same. He coated his fingers in the substance, and my eyes widened as I felt the tip of one digit at my entrance.

"Relax, Harry. I'll be gentle, but it may still hurt a bit," he whispered into my ear, tracing the shell with his tongue. I felt it as the digit entered me, a muted burning contrasting against the cool lube. I tightened around it involuntarily and heard Charlie stifle a groan as he began to thrust in and out, loosening the muscles. And then he was kissing me again, distracting me successfully as a second finger joined the first in its thrusting movements. He began to scissor the two digits, and the burning intensified to the point where I was biting my lip. Then a wave of pleasure, enough to drive the pain away, washed over me as his fingers brushed against my prostate. Finally, he added a third finger, brushing my prostate with every other thrust.

His dazzling blue eyes bore down into my own green ones as I moaned beneath him. The burning was still there, now mixed with pleasure and causing me to whimper. After a few minutes he withdrew, and I almost cried at the loss of contact, the empty feeling left behind. Charlie applied more lube to his huge shaft, stroking it until the length was completely covered. Then he lifted my legs so that they were on his shoulders as he knelt in between them, towering over my stretched form.

"Ready?" His voice was full of lust mixed with concern. He truly didn't want to hurt me.

"Yes," I breathed, nervous but at the same time excited.

I felt the way-too-big head press against my entrance and made an effort to relax, knowing that there would be pain only for a few seconds. Knowing that there would be pleasure unimaginable and indescribable after that. Knowing that I wanted this.

He pressed forwards, passing through the ring of muscle and continuing, his pace agonisingly slow. I could feel his thick shaft penetrate deeper, deepening the burn as it moved forward. I bit my lip, so hard that I thought it must be bleeding. I wouldn't scream. For what seemed like an eternity the length pressed in, and then finally Charlie stopped, fully sheathed within me.

"Harry... so tight." Charlie's lips were parted as he tried to control himself, giving me time to adjust. I didn't want time. I wanted him to move. I needed him to fuck me.

"Charlie... _fuck me now!" _His eyes showed indecision for a fraction of a second, and then he was moving, pulling out slowly and then thrusting in hard.

"Aaaah!" I screamed, not in pain but in pleasure as his cock rubbed against my prostate and left me trembling. It was overwhelming, the feeling of rock hard flesh pounding into me, stimulating places I never even knew existed. He began a steady rhythm, pressing our lips together and moaning into my mouth. After several minutes of steady thrusting, the pleasure had in no way lessened. But I wanted more. More friction. More force. More _Charlie._

"Charlie... uhh... harder... _more... __**now!**_" He grinned wickedly down at me and then tightened his grip on my waist, strong enough that I knew there would be bruises and tight enough that I wouldn't care. He pulled his cock out almost entirely, just the head remaining inside me, and then he slammed back into me in one quick, powerful motion.

"_**Fuck!**__" _we both cried simultaneously, my voice a scream and his a hiss as he struggled to maintain control. The furious pounding continued, and sweat began to roll down Charlie's body, falling onto my stomach as we rocked back and forth. My hair was splayed out around my head, some stuck to the perspiration on my forehead. My skin was shining now, golden and beautiful beneath the sheen of sweat. Charlie swiped his tongue across my lips before returning to his kneeling position.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh. So... hot. _Ugh._" This came out as more of a growl, filled with a lust and hunger which pushed me to the edge.

"Ch-Charlie... Mmm... So _close. _I can't... ahh... _hold on_." The pleasure was just too much, each thrust leaving me breathless. Charlie wrapped his hand around my cock and started pumping furiously.

"Come... _for me... __**Ugh**__." _And with one final thrust I exploded, waves of ecstasy crashing over me as I came, my seed shooting onto my own stomach. I clenched my arse around Charlie's huge cock, tight and hot and unbearable.

With just a few more thrusts, he was coming too, shooting load after load of hot liquid into me as we rode out each other's orgasms. I moved my legs off his shoulders, and he withdrew his cock from inside me, collapsing on top of me. Our bodies slid against each other with the sweat, searing skin rising and falling as we struggled to regain our breath. Charlie moved down and licked my seed off my stomach, his tongue darting in and out of his mouth, leaving cool trails over my skin. He captured my mouth in a final, searing kiss, allowing me to taste myself on him.

I rolled onto my side, his arms wrapping around my torso as he pressed up behind me, skin on skin, warm and wet and perfect. His lips brushed against my ear as he whispered to me.

"I love you Harry."

This was the first time he had said it, and for just a fraction of a second I was shocked. Then a warm, tingling feeling spread through me, my skin now a dim gold.

"I love you too, Charlie."

And we drifted into sleep, safe, content... _together._


	8. Gone

General POV

Harry awoke to the faint grey light of the sunrise, the fiery orb just beginning to spill over the horizon, its beams illuminating the violet countryside. The room filled slowly with colour as Harry lay content atop Charlie's muscular chest, watching his lover as he slept.

Charlie was beautiful even in sleep, but Harry resisted the urge to wake him again with his tongue, deciding that Charlie deserved a good rest after last night. Harry's skin, before a blazing gold, was now returned to a more subtle golden glow with the release of the built up energy. Bill had said that it would be months before Harry would be able to control his new power, and Harry took great pleasure in the thought. That would mean months of him and Charlie finding other ways of channelling the excess energy, something Harry was sure he would not find disagreeable.

They lay completely exposed, skin resting against skin and sharing a warmth that was comforting and beautiful. Harry still wore the golden necklace, the single emerald shining just as his eyes did and matching the smaller emerald of Charlie's gold anklet. Charlie's hair fanned out over the mattress beneath him, fiery in the soft sunlight. Harry's raven locks flowed across his back, reaching down to just above his waist and caressing the skin with its silky smooth texture. The only movement for several minutes was the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed in time to each other.

And then Harry moved carefully off the sleeping form of the larger man and moved off the bed, treading with silent footsteps as he made his way into the bathroom. The tiles of the bathroom were brilliant in the soft sun of the early morning, blinding Harry momentarily before his eyes adjusted. He entered the large shower, turning the tap so that jets of steaming water shot from above and ran down his long hair and golden skin. His muscles, which now were beginning to throb as a result of last night's activities, relaxed beneath the soothing flow, his hands massaging his body and ridding it of any lingering tension.

He winced slightly as he brushed against his hips, and looking down discovered two sets of bruises where Charlie had gripped him tightly. Harry felt along them, delighting in the sensation the marks on his body caused. To him they meant something, they were marks, purple patterns that claimed him as Charlie's. And he loved it.

Once he felt clean and refreshed, Harry left the shower, drying himself and pulling on a pair of red boxers before descending to the sitting room, leaving Charlie to sleep. Harry found Spoons just rising from her bed of cushions, her small legs shaking as she rose and flapped her wings lazily. He scooped her up into his hands and placed her on his bare shoulder, where her tiny claws tickled him as they held tight to his skin.

Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A soft but persistent tapping sound filled the otherwise silent room, and Harry spun around as he searched for the source. When his eyes eventually found it, he froze, his body rigid and his eyes wide. Spoons cheeped at his side as she sensed the change. Outside, perched upon the stone sill of one of the arched windows stood a large raven, as glorious as it was ominous. Its plumage was deepest black, its eyes a hollow grey as they stared with almost human awareness into his own.

There was nothing else that could be done, and his body reacted automatically, slowly approaching the bird and opening the window behind which it stood. Just as it had before, the Raven raised its taloned leg, offering the scroll of parchment to him. His fingers shook as he removed it from the bird's leg, and he jumped when the raven gave a piercing cry before flapping its powerful wings and flying into the now pink sky.

The scroll was again tied with a delicate black ribbon which easily came undone even as Harry trembled. The last time he had read the raven's message, he had chosen to forget about it. Surely it hadn't meant anything, just an empty threat which would come to nothing. And the message had made no sense to him, so easily put aside in the commotion of the wedding and the escape.

But now a fear rose inside him, his mind swirling as he recalled the senseless ramblings of the previous message. The location of the Burrow was not exactly a secret, and Harry had only been surprised that it had been able to pass the Fidelius charm. But this time the raven had found him at Gryphons Nest, a place known only to himself, Charlie, Bill and Fleur, and of course Sirius. How could anybody possibly know that he was there now? Was he still safe in the one place he had truly believed was secure? He unrolled the scroll, recognising the handwriting as that belonging to the person who had sent the first threat.

It read:

"_My Pet,_

_So close, and you were gone. I couldn't think. Darkness, fear and pain. It hurt. You hurt me. You were gone._

_This will not happen again. I had thought relief to be near. The pain and torture would be gone once I had you. And I would have had you if all had gone to plan. But you left, abandoned me to my feelings and to my suffering. Never again. If chains are what it takes to keep you with me, then chains there will be. But know one thing. Once I have you, you will never leave me. _

_It took me days to gain control after you disappeared. My body shook and writhed, nothing would end the unbearable emotions. Empty and alone. And again all I had was you. Thoughts of you to feed me, to strengthen me, to free me. You forced me to rise, to search. Now I have found you. I will never need thoughts again. Thoughts and dreams are nothing compared to the real thing, just feeble substitutes needed as reminders. To touch your skin and taste you will be all I ever need. Closer._

_Just seconds left, my pet. And they are all that stand between us. All that can._

_Be with you soon..."_

Harry's lips parted in a silent scream, one that would have burst the eardrums of listeners if only he could force his throat to cooperate. His green eyes darted over the parchment, searching for something he may have missed as his hands turned white along with the rest of his skin. His knees shook violently, threatening to give way. And they did, Harry falling to the floor with a limp thud, feeling no pain due to the numbness of his body. Spoons, who had remained silent while he had read the letter, fluttered frantically as Harry's shoulder fell away beneath her, only just managing to land safely beside Harry's form.

How could they have found him? This was supposed to be the safest place for him, a place where only he decided who could enter. Apart from himself, only Charlie, Bill and Fleur were able to enter, or even see, the building. Nobody could get past the Fidelius charm, and he himself was the secret keeper.

His stomach churned sickeningly as the next thought occurred to him. Could they have betrayed him? Had they only pretended to be his friends so that they would be included in his secrets? But he pushed these vile thoughts from his mind just as quickly as they had entered it. No. They wouldn't. And even if they had, they couldn't. In telling them the location and name of the house, he had only allowed them to see and enter the Nest. They did not become the secret keeper unless he died, just as Sirius had, and therefore they could not have passed on the information.

But the raven had found him. It had been able to see the tower, just as it had seen the Burrow. It had passed the Fidelius charm. He curled his legs up against his chest, wrapping his arms around his knees as his body shook uncontrollably. Who was behind this? But there was only one answer. There had only ever been one answer. Harry could think of nobody else who would go to such lengths to get to him. Usually they were attempts to kill him; however Harry couldn't be sure that Voldemort hadn't devised some other, more evil plan.

And nobody could help him. They would only be in danger. Only seconds remained...

Charlie's POV

As consciousness returned, I stretched my hands out blindly before me, searching with my fingertips for the warmth of the smaller body. I expected Harry to still be asleep because I had not been woken as before by his delicate tongue tracing my lips. But there was nothing, the sheets cool beneath my fingertips as if nobody had lain upon them and heated them.

I opened my eyes and saw that the bed was empty, only my own body stretched out across the large mattress. Harry must have woken already, and judging by the height of the sun outside the windows, it was probably only around nine in the morning. This would have been strange under normal circumstances; however the two of them had gone to bed quite early last night. And Harry was probably still more energetic than anybody else would be due to his increased magic. I smiled at the thought of what would need to be done in order to release that built up magic. The months it would take...

My skin was cold as my body was clad in only a pair of black silk boxers. Chill air brushed against my arms and chest, tingling and sending a slight shiver down my spine. Harry could have at least started the fires. Then again, I did not know when he had woken. He may have only just left the room. I stretched my arms over my head, feeling the muscles in my back prickle and relax. My shoulders stung slightly, and looking over I could see faint red lines where Harry had clawed at my skin the night before. They were nice, lasting reminders of Harry and his feelings for me.

I rose from the comfortable bed and descended to the sitting room on the way to the kitchen. The shrill cheeping of Spoons stopped me from continuing, and I looked over to her bed of pillows to see what was wrong. It was empty. The sounds were quick and almost anxious, and I strode across to where they were coming from behind the couch. What I saw made me gasp.

It took me a few seconds to absorb the sight, Harry's body curled in on itself and the small phoenix tugging at his hair. The long hair spread over his shoulders, hiding his face, which was pressed against his knees. Even though his skin still glowed with a golden light, it was obvious that he was cold, clad only in a pair of red boxers. He was shaking, and seemed unaware that I was standing right beside him.

I fell to my knees, grabbing his body and pulling him into a sitting position against my chest. His skin was icy against my own, and he did not look up or respond in any way to my actions.

"Harry?" My voice shook with undisguised fear as my mind raced into the worst possible imaginings. "Harry, are you ok?" I squeezed him tighter with one arm and used my other hand to brush the long black strands of hair away from his face.

With my finger I drew his chin up so that his face was not pressed against his knees. Wet lines fell from his eyes and down his white cheeks, his eyelashes glistening with trapped tears. His eyelids flashed open, revealing two striking green eyes. I gasped, seeing hurt and fear as plainly as if each word was written across the eye itself. His lips trembled, holding back what I knew to be strangled sobs as he looked into my own blue eyes.

He flung his arms around me, crushing his body against my own, burying his face in my shoulder as the sobs broke free. I pulled him into my arms and lifted him off the cold stone floor, carrying him across the room and sitting down on the couch with him on my lap. I rubbed his back with my warm hands in a soothing motion as I waited for him to calm down.

Harry was one of the strongest people I knew. He would only be this upset if something extremely serious had happened. Even when Moody and Hedwig had died he had only been quiet. Was that it? Had somebody else died? Or was it something else, something different? In my head I ran through what had happened since I had arrived. I froze. Was it something about last night that had made Harry cry? Did I hurt him? Had he really been ready for what had happened?

And then I saw it. The purple mark on the skin at his hip. On the other side was an identical mark, a bruise the exact size and shape of my hand. My stomach churned as I realised that I had indeed hurt him. It was my fault that Harry was like this. I couldn't take it back, and there was nothing I could do. Sitting with him on my lap was probably doing more harm than good. It was all my fault. I released him, letting my hands fall to my sides.

Harry pulled his head back so that he was looking at me; those tear filled eyes heart wrenching.

"Wha-" He began to say something, but I couldn't listen.

"Harry, I'll go. You don't have to say anything. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I'm so sorry. I can't stay here, knowing that I'm only causing you pain. Nothing I can say will make this better, will make up for what I've done. I should have been more careful. I should have made sure that you were ready. There must have been another way. Leaving is all that I can do."

I tried to lift him off my lap so that I would be able to stand, but he clung to me and forced me to remain seated. He looked shocked, and slightly confused. Of course he would be confused after what had happened.

"No, Charlie, don't go." His voice was pleading, desperate as he begged me. I didn't understand. "Don't leave me. It's n-not your fault. It-" I was suddenly furious, not with him but with myself. How could I have done that? I couldn't let him take any of the blame.

"Harry, it was my fault. I should have known. I am supposed to protect you, keep you safe, and all I do is hurt you. I should have been stronger, resisted th-" But I was cut off by his voice, which now sounded angry as well.

"Charlie Weasley, listen to me." He held the sides of my face with both of his hands so that I could not look away from him. "You did nothing. Nothing is your fault, and you have not hurt me in any way. Last night was... it was amazing. Really, really brilliant. I couldn't believe how easy, how natural, how... good it felt. And I wouldn't have believed anything could get to me after that. But this morning I received this," and he shoved a crumpled piece of parchment, which I had not noticed he was holding, into my hands, "and now everything is just..." His words trailed off, and the anger quickly turned to hopeless despair.

"But what about... what about those?" And I gestured towards the large bruises on either side of his body. His response was just a whisper.

"Just read it."

What had just happened? If he wasn't upset about last night, then what was wrong? The parchment seemed to be the only explanation he was going to give, and I smoothed it out so that I could read the message written upon it.

He did not watch as my eyes travelled down the length of parchment, narrowing with each line. He did not respond when my hands clenched into fists against his sides as the meaning behind the words was revealed. He did not look up when I dropped the piece of parchment and wrapped my arms around his fragile form. But when I jumped to my feet, cradling him against my chest as I moved to climb the stairs, he looked up at my face with questioning eyes.

"What are you doing, Charlie?"

"I'm taking you upstairs so that you can pack your things, and then we are going to leave this place. We'll go to Romania, or somewhere else where they will never find us. Harry, I swear I will protect you." My voice was firm as I approached the stairs.

"Charlie, wait." I stopped, looking down into his green eyes. "I don't think that's the best idea."

"Harry, the letter was delivered to you here, to Gryphons Nest. Whoever wrote that letter must know where you are, and that is very dangerous. If it is V-Voldemort who is behind this, and I'm pretty sure that it is, then he'll probably have-"

"No, Charlie, just listen. Whoever wrote that letter, they sent it to me for a reason. Now I'm pretty sure that it was not intended as a warning, because that would just be foolish. As far as I can see, that letter was sent to scare me, possibly into leaving the Nest. If we did leave, we would only be making ourselves even more vulnerable, and we would be acting just as they had planned. We don't even know if they can get in."

Sometimes I forgot just how intelligent Harry was. That he was talented was always obvious, but it hadn't been until I had seen him perform advanced magic on the night of his seventeenth birthday that I had come to appreciate just how smart he was. Most of the spells he could do took years for experienced wizards to perfect, and yet it took him just minutes. And now that I thought about it, he was probably right about the letter. A warning would just make things more difficult for the person trying to get to him.

"So... what do we do then? Do we just wait? Stay here and hope that you are safe?" I didn't like that idea, but I couldn't see a way of removing Harry from danger without first putting him at greater risk.

"No. I think it would be best if we told the Order, and then let them decide. They'll probably just send someone back with you as another guard." Harry's voice was slipping from its confident tone back to the shaky whisper filled with fear.

"Harry, I am not leaving you." There was no way I could leave him alone while he was like this, not now that I knew he was being threatened.

"It's the only way Charlie. You have to go and tell them what's happening. And I can't leave because that would be exactly what the person who wrote the letter wanted in the first place." I frowned as I realised that Harry was right. Again. But how could I leave him? "It'll only be for a few minutes, and then once you return we'll both feel a little safer with another person around."

I thought of Kingsley or Lupin living with us and immediately saw how I could leave. It was for Harry. To protect him, to make him safe. Nothing else mattered. "I'll need you to write the information down again so that whoever comes will be able to see the place."

"No... I don't think that's a good idea. What if they follow you and somehow get their hands on the piece of parchment with the details on it? There's still a chance that they can't get in, and I really don't want to risk giving them the key." Why was he so fast? "Maybe you could convince Bill or Fleur to come. That way we wouldn't be risking the information, because they already know, and one of them could remain at Shell Cottage or wherever they are if they're still on their honeymoon and make it look like both of them are still there."

"When should I go?" His expression flashed with pain before he could disguise it, hiding it behind a mask of confidence. I hugged him to me just a little bit tighter.

"Now would be the best time. We shouldn't delay this any more than we have to. That will only give Voldemort more time to prepare." I winced ever so slightly at the name, realising that Harry thought the letter had been sent by Voldemort just as I did. We remained there, on the couch, pressed together in a comforting embrace for several minutes before I moved him to the side so that I could stand.

Harry picked up Spoons, who had stood silent while Harry had told me what had happened. He stroked her head, his fingers still trembling as they ran over soft plumage. I moved to the stairs and was about to descend when his voice called to me.

"Charlie, be careful." He sounded close to panic, and I almost returned to him. But I remembered that what I was doing would help him, would make him safe. I smiled what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I will. I love you Harry." As I turned I heard his reply.

"Love you too, Charlie."

Harry's POV

Soft footsteps sounded as Charlie hurried down the stairs and out of the building, the wooden door making no noise as it closed behind him. He would explain things as quickly as possible to Bill and Fleur once he found them, I was sure of that. He wouldn't want to leave me alone any longer than was absolutely necessary. But every second I was alone the panic built within me, the fear, the confusion. Emotions crashing through my mind and blurring everything.

I stroked the soft head of Spoons as she perched herself on my hand, crooning softly in what I imagined was a comforting sort of way. I needed to distract myself with other thoughts, something besides the letter which Charlie had taken with him. But thoughts of Charlie were also hard to concentrate on, and I couldn't bring myself to think about what might have happened once he left the safety of the Nest. I shouldn't have let him go, but I was being selfish. Another person to guard me would ease the fear enough for me to function normally.

I wondered who he would bring back with him. Of course, Bill would be my first choice, not just because he was far more experienced than Fleur, but also because I felt I knew him a little better as well. But Fleur would be just as good, a welcome presence and a light hearted soul to brighten the darkness. No doubt whoever remained would contact the Order, and then I was certain that they would act in an attempt to find out who sent the message.

I had already decided that it was Voldemort. Who else would want me dead, or by the sounds of the letter, worse? Nobody else I knew had the ability to find me when I was hidden in the most secret of locations. And nobody else would ever be able to sound so cruel and evil in writing alone. It had always been him, and according to the prophecy, it would always be him until the final battle was over, and one of us fell.

Spoons nuzzled against my palm as the tips of my fingers stroked her small wings. Her soft singing was accompanied only by the wind whistling around the curved walls of the tower outside. The Nest was as silent as it had been when it had been only me, alone and abandoned in a place that nobody even knew existed. I gently placed Spoons on the arm of the couch, rising to my feet and stretching my arms out before me.

With speed and force inescapable, two arms wrapped around my body, strong muscles crushing me against a firm chest as the breath was squeezed from my lungs. But this was no loving embrace, no welcome or warmth in the hold. It was violent, brutal, and my arms were pinned to my sides before I could even react. I was lifted from the ground so that my legs kicked only air as I struggled to free myself.

The smell of dirt hit me as I breathed in through my nose, my lips held closed by one large hand. This was not somebody I knew. This was not Voldemort. I thrashed and struggled, but to no avail, and when finally I was too exhausted to fight anymore, my body hung limp in the hold of the stranger. I could feel heavy breathing against my ear.

"My _Pet_..." the voice rasped, loud in the silence. Spoons cheeped wildly, fluttering about in hopeless despair. A hand flung out and knocked her from the arm of the couch, a soft thud on the stone and silence. "So long I have waited, and now..."

"Who ar-" I began to ask, the sound muffled by the hand over my mouth. It pressed down with greater strength, and I gave up trying to ask the question.

"Shhhh..." The voice hissed in a mockery of affection. "You will know everything soon enough, my pet. But we must leave." And with that, I was carried down the stairs, never seeing more than the arms of my captor as he moved me to the door. I managed to knock a single plate from the table on the way past, the large dish shattering as it collided with the stone floor. And then we were outside, the icy breeze chilling my exposed skin with nothing but a pair of boxers to keep me warm.

"Nothing between us," the voice rasped, and my stomach churned. "You'll never leave me."

General POV

Charlie entered the Nest, closely followed by Bill who had elected to accompany him so that he could help Harry while Fleur remained in Paris, away from any threat of violence. The house was eerily quiet, something that did not bother Charlie because he was so used to the silence of the isolated tower. Bill, however, was feeling edgy and looked around for any signs of danger.

His eyes quickly found the shattered remains of a plate which had been knocked from the table. Shards of porcelain had come to rest in a wide arc of broken pieces, shards stabbing out in every direction. Charlie noticed this just seconds later, and froze for a fraction of a second.

"**Harry?**" He bellowed, hoping with all his might to hear the voice which he had come to cherish as it rang in his ears. There was no response but the continued whistling of the wind outside. He called again as he sprinted up the stairs and into the sitting room, Bill following just as quickly. But here there was nothing. No signs of Harry, alive or otherwise. No sign of a struggle, nothing broken or out of place as far as he could tell.

He raced up the last set of stairs and into the bedroom, but again there was nothing. Harry's clothes were still in his trunk, dispelling the thought that perhaps Harry had run away in some foolish attempt to protect those who would be at risk once they were with him. Surely Harry would have at least taken some clothes with him, or left a note. Charlie noticed that he was alone in the room, and descended to find Bill crouched on the floor beside the couch.

Bill had found the tiny form of Spoons, Harry's phoenix, sprawled on the stone floor and unable to move. His wand was directed at the feathered mass he now held in his hands, and he muttered something that Charlie couldn't quite hear. The tiny beak was opening and closing slowly, calling with no sound.

"Her wing's broken. It'll take a few days to heal properly, but she'll be ok." Bill's grave voice told Charlie that he was not thinking of the bird, but rather of Harry. Of course, the news that Spoons would be ok was a relief, but only a small drop of relief in a heaving ocean of fury, fear and despair.

Charlie had left him, alone and unprotected. He had left him, and now Harry was gone. His promise to stay with Harry forever was broken, and he felt sick inside not knowing if he would ever see Harry again. Where could he be? Was he still alive? If he was, what were they doing to him? Charlie's whole body was numb, and he felt as if his legs would simply give way beneath him. He wouldn't mind too much, there would be no pain that could pierce through the confusion raging within his mind.

"Charlie, the necklace."

One simple sentence, delivered by a voice devoid of feeling, broke through. And the darkness seemed to lift, or rather to clear to allow for one single, bright beam of light to pass through. _The necklace._ That was how he had found Harry when he had disappeared the last time. Why wouldn't it work this time? It would take him directly to Harry.

Without waiting for Bill to grab hold of him, Charlie pulled the leg of his trousers up to reveal the golden anklet which connected him to Harry. Bill began to call to him, but Charlie didn't hear. Everything had been replaced with single minded determination. There was no more confusion, no more guilt or fear. There was only the drive to find and rescue Harry. Nothing else mattered.

He tapped the emerald of the anklet with his wand, and the warm green light shone forth from it, enveloping him in a sphere of brightness and hope. And Bill was gone. The sitting room was gone. The tower was gone.

A soft wind brushed against his arms as he stood on the pavement beside a busy street. People, muggles judging by the extremely bland clothes they wore, passed Charlie as he stood in the morning sun. He was somewhere in the centre of London, it's tall buildings rising like towers of glass, the soft yellow light illuminating only the tops as the streets remained cool and damp. Rows of apartments lined either side of the street he stood in, one building boarded up with the name Wornton Street Station set in stone above its large arched entrance. Small shops, a grocer and deli, poured out onto the street alongside the narrow doorways which led into the apartments.

He could see all of this, and yet he could not see Harry. He should have been taken directly to him, but the longer he stood there, searching with his eyes through the people and the cars and the buildings, the longer he went without any trace of the one he cared for. The one he needed to find.

A glimmer of gold his eye and he looked down.

There, carelessly thrown onto the wet concrete of the pavement was the necklace he had given Harry. It's once delicate and perfect gold ring was now mangled, obviously having been removed from Harry's neck with considerable force, the emerald dull and lifeless in the shadows that filled the street. Charlie fell to his knees, concerned eyes following him for just a few seconds each before hurrying away, melding into the swirling masses of people who did not know, did not care that he had lost everything. He had lost the connection to Harry. And with it, he had lost that small beam of hope which had sustained him.


	9. Known

**Chapter 9: Known**

General POV

Charlie returned to the Nest just a few minutes after he had vanished, his body numb and his mind buried in darkness and despair. His striking blue eyes were now pools of loss in an ocean of red, wet and stinging from the tears. There had been nothing for him to do once he had found the necklace. It was supposed to have led him to Harry. It was supposed to have been his one connection, his hope. And yet now it was only a painful reminder of his lost love, and of what had taken him. A cold golden ring, crushed and empty. An emerald, once sparkling, now dull and hollow.

Bill had been waiting for him when he returned. The look on his brother's face told him all that he needed to know. He had never seen Charlie so upset, so helpless and so close to tears. His expression was tragic, and when Bill saw it the words he had been about to speak caught in his throat. Instead, he closed the distance between them and wrapped Charlie in affectionate, comforting arms, holding him as if his arms were the only thing keeping his brother from falling apart. He took the necklace from Charlie's limp hands, repairing it with a simple spell before placing it on one of the small coffee tables of the sitting room without once releasing his brother. And minutes passed in heavy silence, words unnecessary and unable to convey feeling.

But there was still hope. Bill knew that Charlie was just in shock. He also knew that the faster they acted, the greater the chance they would reach Harry... in time. Harry was strong. Even though he was only seventeen, he had already survived in cases where even the most experienced wizard would surely have perished. His magic was powerful, and he was smart. He _would _get through this.

"Charlie?" Bill sounded almost cautious as he broke the silence. Charlie, his head resting on Bill's shoulder, did not show any sign of having heard him. Bill continued anyway. "Charlie, do you remember last year when I was... attacked while fighting at Hogwarts?" Charlie looked up slowly, confusion evident on his face as he tried to understand what Bill was getting at.

Charlie had not been there the night Bill had been injured, but he remembered clearly seeing his brother's scarred face for the first time. The three slashes ran down one side of his face, even now a dull pink after so much time. The wounds had been cursed because they had been given to him by a werewolf, and this had meant that they would not disappear through any magical means. They had all feared that Bill would become a werewolf himself, however the only result had been that Bill now had a liking for rare steaks. Charlie nodded.

"Well, you know about the rare steaks, but there have also been some other slight changes as well." Bill rushed to explain as Charlie's eyes widened. "Nothing bad, Charlie. Actually... they've really been quite helpful at times. My senses, hearing, sight and all the others, have become more sensitive, better attuned to my surroundings. When you left to find the necklace," Charlie flinched and closed his eyes, "I was the only one left in the Nest. And with my improved sense of smell, I was able to detect a scent that had previously been masked by your presence."

Charlie's eyes opened again, and Bill could see the blue depths blaze with newfound hope and determination. He suddenly regretted keeping the important part until the end. With what he was about to tell his younger brother, he was sure that the information would only distress Charlie further. But there was nothing else they could do. There were no other leads, and this may be their only chance to save Harry.

"Charlie, a werewolf has been here."

Charlie stepped away from his brothers arms, his lips parted in shock as his eyes blinked. For just a moment, everything was silent, and Charlie's expression held no traces of his previous grief. And then a low growling filled the room, emanating from Charlie's broad chest and reverberating off the stone walls. His lips pulled back to reveal his gleaming white teeth, and his eyes filled with fury, the red curtains of his hair only making the picture that much more menacing.

"Wer-werewolves... took Harry." It may have been a question, but to Bill it sounded more like a statement. "Harry was taken by a werewolf?" His eyes narrowed and locked with Bill's own blue eyes, as if accusing him of having taken Harry himself. "Who?"

"Err... well, you see, I've only ever encountered two werewolves before, Greyback and Lupin. I really wouldn't have the faintest idea who it was with such a small level of experience, even if my sense of smell was that good. But it isn't. I just thought that knowing _what_ took Harry might help us find him." Bill's voice was steady, concealing his uneasy state from his brother.

Charlie slowly calmed down, releasing his hands from the tight fists he hadn't realised he had formed. Bill wasn't to blame for Harry's capture, and he had just given Charlie the only link to Harry that remained. He needed to act quickly if he was to have any chance of finding Harry. And the knowledge that he was with a werewolf only added to the urgency. "Come on." He said loudly, grasping Bill's hand and pulling him down the stairs and out the door.

"Where are we going?" Bill's voice was strained as he struggled to keep up with Charlie, the strong hand making it difficult for him to maintain his balance.

"Grimmauld Place. We need to see Lupin." And with that, Charlie spun, enveloping the two in the pressing, suffocating darkness of apparation.

Harry's POV

Distant sounds, blurred and muffled, drifted softly through my ears. I couldn't distinguish between the sources, of which there seemed to be many, instead simply allowing the senseless babble to fill the space that thought had abandoned inside my head.

I could see only darkness, and swirling patterns of light on the backs of my eyelids which were closed, not because they would not open but because I would not open them. My last memories rushed through my mind, and I instantly understood what had happened. There had been the deep sound of barking laughter, and then all had flashed to black. Just black, and nothing else, not even consciousness. The agonising throbbing of my head combined with these memories told me that I had been knocked unconscious after my captor had taken me from the confines of the Nest. But where had he taken me? And _who_ had taken me?

I didn't dare open my eyes just yet, because I was certain that as soon as I did the action would be noticed. All I wanted now was to be left alone, and hopefully there would be more time. Time to understand. Time for the others to find me. The distant roar began to make sense, and I strained my ears to listen to the voices. Judging by the noise, there were many people in a large room, their words echoing off the walls around them. Their voices were rough and wild, sinister and dark even with no clear reason to be so. I recognised none of them.

My body, all of which was completely exposed but for the pair of boxers I had been wearing when I had been taken, pressed up against a wall and the floor, both of which were smooth and cool, most likely tiled. The strong odour of dirt and sweat filled the damp air, mixing with another familiar yet implacable scent that held a metallic taste. I knew that opening my eyes would only confirm my suspicions. I would find myself in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by people I didn't know, with nothing but a throbbing head and a pair of boxers. But what else could I do?

I eased one lid open as slowly as I could until eventually it was fully open. The room was long and narrow, the roof curving in one great arch of grimy tiles. From where I was, curled up against the wall at one end, I could see all the way along to the far wall, and the large tunnel that continued onwards to one side. There were perhaps thirty, maybe more people in the space, all of whom were dressed in torn and grubby clothing and had rough looking faces. However their tangled hair and sunken eyes served only to give a more menacing appearance, which combined with their height and muscles created a truly frightening sight.

I attempted to move my arm from where it was bent uncomfortably beneath my chest and felt a stab of pain. I gasped, and simultaneously every eye turned in my direction, the noise of people talking falling into dead silence.

"My Pet." That voice, the voice of my captor, crooned sickeningly from close by. I craned my neck so that I could see the speaker, and felt for the first time the thick metallic band around my neck, so different to the warmth of Charlie's delicate ring. It was solid and cold, and I felt the heavy chain move with it. I could see the length of metal links curled on the ground before me, and followed them with my eyes to where they met with the wall, fastening me to the thick metal loop that protruded from the tiles. The letter had said "_if chains are what it takes to keep you with me."_ Apparently I had been given no chances.

I saw first his feet, bare with nails that were chipped and yellowing. I travelled upwards, taking in the torn grey trousers and the ripped t-shirt. His skin was covered in dirt and his bare arms were hairy. His jaw was bristling with spiky whiskers, while his grey hair hung in wispy strands. As I stared into his face, Fenrir Greyback smirked, showing pointed teeth through thin lips.

"Welcome, _my Pet_, to our den." His eyes did not move from my own as he gestured with his arm to our surroundings.

"Greyback," I said, my voice emotionless as I struggled to conceal the panic which had risen in my throat. I now realised that escape, or even rescue, would be near impossible as long as I remained here. With an army of werewolves watching me, it seemed that there was no hope.

Greyback's eyes narrowed and the disturbing want in them was suddenly replaced by a fierceness that frightened me. "_Master," _he said through clenched teeth, "you will call me Master, and nothing else." His glare was unwavering, and I was not quite sure how to respond.

"Err... ok?"

**SLAP!**

I blinked rapidly, feeling the water rise in my eyes as I felt the stinging of my face.

"Yes, Master," he growled, and I flinched at the sound. The other werewolves, all of whom watched with intense fascination, laughed mockingly. At this point I was sure that my cheeks had turned a bright red, however this was not due to humiliation or pain. I was angry, red colouring my vision as words formed themselves in my mind.

"I will _not _call you my master! You're a sick, evil person and you deserve to be thrown to the dementors. If you think for one moment that I'm just going to roll over and-"

**THUD! **

The air rushed out from between my parted lips as a large fist collided with my stomach. The pain was intense, and my mind went blank for a fraction of a second before the sensation crashed down upon me. I was curled up on my side again, the figure of Fenrir Greyback towering over me, pinning me to the floor with burning eyes. I felt my lungs begin to pull in some much needed oxygen, but before I could take one full breath, another fist had struck me. It was followed by a few more powerful blows, each landing so quickly that I was unable to breath.

When the beating had finally finished, I was gasping for breath, desperate for just one lungful. As the damp air rushed down my throat, expanding my chest, I felt small stabs of pain as the abused muscles moved. If I looked down, there would probably already be some signs of the bruises that were sure to follow, marking my golden skin. Tears ran down my cheeks, and I stopped them as soon as I could. I would not show how much pain I was in.

One strong hand clamped around my arm, and I was pulled roughly to my feet, swaying as my chest heaved and trembled. Greyback held my face between his hands, but I did not look at him. He shook me violently until I met his gaze. I needed to say something before he could continue.

"H-how did you find me?" This was the only thing I could think to say, something that seemed insignificant now and yet something that would give me time to think. His eyes widened in shock for just a second before his grin widened.

"Finding you, my Pet, was always going to happen. From the very first moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that I had to have you, and that nothing would stand in the way of that. It was simply a matter of time, and timing I suppose." His harsh whisper turned into a soft barking laugh before he returned his eyes to my own. "As you know, I have been in the service of the Dark Lord for several years now, assisting with his many gruesome tasks. And when I saw you, I knew that staying loyal, or at least appearing to be loyal, was my best chance if I wanted to find you. We were both after the same thing, you see, and with his forces there was no way that you would escape. You probably thought that it was he who sent you those letters, didn't you?"

I whimpered, the sound so soft that even I could not hear it. But I was sure that he had, his ears being far more sensitive than my own.

"Of course you did. Who would ever think to suspect me, just another ravenous, feral werewolf working beneath the very one who has vowed to kill you? Even the Dark Lord himself thought nothing of it, placing me in the very position which allowed me to find you. When the Ministry fell, he needed somebody who could be trusted to run the place. He chose me, and in my time there I searched for something, anything that would tell me where you were. Being in charge, I had unlimited access to the records kept by the Ministry. So when, one night, I came across a document regarding the sale of Gryphons Nest to one Sirius Black, I knew that I had finally found you. And better yet, you were hidden so well that I was sure the Dark Lord, or even your friends, would not know where you were. The perfect place from which to take you. A place where your disappearance would go unnoticed, where you would not be missed until it was too late."

It wasn't too late. It _wasn't_ too late. _It couldn't be too late_. I repeated this inside my head, feeling each time a stab of doubt, a fading hope. I needed to bide more time. If I let him stop talking, then surely he would not hesitate to end my life right now. His twisted pleasure in toying with his prey was probably the only thing keeping me alive.

"Why?" My voice was a gasp and my eyes darted around, seeing past his shoulders and taking in the sea of curious faces. He shook me again, wanting me to turn my eyes back to him.

"Do you really need to ask? I would have thought it obvious, even to you, Pet. You are one of the most powerful wizards in existence. Your magic could even now rival that of the Dark Lord himself, and you have only just come of age. With each day you grow stronger, your talents growing and your mind sharpening. Soon, you will be unstoppable. And once you have become a werewolf, even your body will be stronger, powerful in both physical strength and in magic. Together we will lead this army to greatness. You will be my mate, and we will be rulers of both wizards and muggles. And I will have everythingI've ever dreamed of, _everything_ I have ever _craved_."

I couldn't think, and the world was suddenly pressing down on me, the rough hands on my face the only things keeping my body from falling to the ground. This was just so different to what I had feared that it took me a few seconds to absorb the words he had spoken. I had thought it was Voldemort who was after me. I had been wrong. I had thought that Greyback planned to kill me. I was wrong. I had thought nothing could be worse than death. I had been wrong again.

The word fell from my lips, strangled and in a shaky voice. The moment I had said it, I wished I could have swallowed it up again and never mentioned it. But it was too late. "Mate?"

Greyback flashed his pointed teeth in a sickening smile. "_Yes._ You will be mine. It is not only your power that draws me to you. I have cravings too, and your flesh is simply...," he leaned to the side and bit down softly on my ear before breathing the last word, "_irresistible._"

"No!" I suddenly felt furious, and yet my voice sounded empty, hopeless.

His eyes flashed and his lips pursed menacingly. One hand moved down and gripped the chain that fell down from my collar, tugging sharply and pulling my head up until I was forced to stand on my toes just so that I could breathe.

"You _will _submit. I will _make _you, and there's not a thing you can do to stop me, Pet." He leaned forward until there was less than an inch between us, and then he ran his tongue up the length of my cheek, leaving a cold trail of saliva. "It was no coincidence that I chose this day to take you. You see, tonight is the full moon. And you know what that means, don't you?" He sneered, his face ugly and contorted. "It means that tonight, I will once again take the form of a werewolf, and will be able to infect anyone simply by biting them."

I swallowed, my limbs freezing as I absorbed this. Greyback was going to infect me. Tonight. And once that was done, there would be nothing anybody could do to cure me. I would be a werewolf for the rest of my life, a menace and a danger to my friends. It would be the end.

"Tonight," he continued, as if the worst part was still to come, "I will bite you Harry. And then, I will _take _you, claim you as my own. After tonight, you will be _my_ _Pet _forever, to remain at my side. You will become a part of my army, and with you as my mate, nothing will stand in our way. We will have everything, all the blood and flesh we could ever want. Your power will be the final factor that will allow us to defeat the wizards. We will rise up to finally take what is ours. And you will be _mine._"

My stomach churned as he forced these dreadful images into my mind. _Blood._ He would change me. _Flesh. _He would take me. _Life. _He would use me.

General POV

"We'll have to contact the others bef-"

"There's _no _time for that! We need to save Harry _before _they can do anything to him. Getting a secure message to the rest of the Order will take up time we can't afford to lose Remus." Lupin's face was a mixture of dread and confusion.

"What Charlie is trying to say Remus is that _we_ can't wait because _Harry_ can't wait. Even _if_ Harry is still alive," Bill was interrupted by a growl from Charlie and decided on a more tactful approach. "Look, there's still hope for Harry. But if we wait any longer than is absolutely necessary, that hope will be lost. Tonight is the full moon, as I'm sure you are already aware. If Harry is still in the presence of the werewolves who captured him, he will be in great danger tonight when they change."

Lupin considered this for a few seconds before he nodded, accepting Bill and Charlie's logic. "Ok, but what can I do to help? You know that I won't be able to come with you, because even with the Wolfsbane I will not be anything close to helpful. I can't leave Grimmauld Place without endangering more people." His eyes showed the despair he felt, weak and useless when his friends needed him most.

"We know you can't come with us, but we were hoping that you could help us find Harry. You spent some time with the werewolves as a part of Dumbledore's orders. You must know where they have their headquarters, and that could be a great help." Lupin just shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but I won't be able to help you. In the short amount of time I was with them, they changed locations dozens of times. The headquarters was always underground, but there are thousands of places that could be used for such a purpose in London alone. Any information I can give you about that would be useless. How can you be sure that Harry was taken by a werewolf anyway? I would have thought the Dark Lord to be the more likely suspect."

"Bill was able to recognise the scent with his improved sense of smell." Lupin raised his eyebrows at this and so Charlie continued. "Apparently, ever since his encounter with Greyback, Bill's senses have improved to a level beyond that of your average wizard." Lupin turned to Bill.

"So you were able to smell what exactly?"

"Well, once Charlie had left, I got a hint of the same scent that I was exposed to on the night Dumbledore was killed. From that I assumed the person who had taken Harry was a werewolf seeming as only myself, Fleur, Harry and Charlie had been inside the Nest recently."

"The _exact _same scent?" Bill nodded, still not understanding. "Bill, you know that werewolves have a similar scent?" Bill nodded again. "But did you know that people who are werewolves have a different scent when they are not transformed?" Lupin took the silence as a no. "If what you smelt was in fact the same scent as the one you claim it was, then I would say that Harry has been taken by Fenrir Greyback, not just any werewolf. Which would also mean that wherever Harry is, he is most likely in the company of Greyback's werewolf army."

Both Lupin and Bill turned to look at Charlie, who was now growling softly in between shaky breaths. Bill put both of his hands on his brother's shoulders and shook his sharply, forcing him to look into his eyes. "Charlie, there's still hope. We just need to find him."

"But how? All we know is that the werewolves are underground. They could be _anywhere!_ And without the necklace, the tracking charm was completely useless." Charlie clenched his eyes shut, trying to suppress the tears that threatened to escape. He had told Harry that if ever he needed him, he would be there. Now Harry was in danger, and there was nothing he could do. Bill's voice broke through these painful thoughts, the intense tone catching Charlie's attention.

"Where did the tracking charm take you Charlie?"

"Umm... it was just an ordinary street, somewhere here in London."

"Could you take me there? If Harry's necklace was there, then it's possible that the werewolves are somewhere in the surrounding area. There's only a small chance that they would still be there, but I think it's worth a try." Charlie tried to picture in his mind the place where the necklace had been dropped, but none of the surroundings seemed to suggest a werewolf hideout to him. It didn't matter.

Before Lupin could say anything else, Charlie had taken hold of Bill and was pulling him out the door of Girmmauld Place. He paused on the doorstep, staring into his brothers eyes. "If you don't want to come with me, I understand. I don't want you to be hurt, but I have to find Harry, even if..."

Bill hugged his brother tightly for just a few seconds before releasing him. "There's nothing you could say that would make me leave you. You're my brother, and Harry is my friend. We're going to find him even if we need to take down the entire werewolf army." He smiled reassuringly, and Charlie let out a strained burst of laughter.

"Thanks," and with that they both spun, enveloped by a crushing darkness which gave way to the feeble sunlight of late afternoon in London. The street was just as dark as it had been when Charlie had arrived in the morning. There were only a few people around now, quickly making their way home to avoid the cold night air. Orange rays of light gave an impression of warmth as they illuminated those taller sections of buildings which had not yet been covered in shadow, but the temperature was already dropping and a light breeze blew the cool air into their faces.

"When I was here, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary... but then again, I wasn't really paying much attention either." Charlie scanned the buildings on either side, but he really had no idea what he was looking for. It wasn't like there'd be some kind of glowing sign announcing the location of a werewolf den or anything.

Bill, on the other hand, was sniffing rather than looking. "I thought maybe I would be able to follow his scent or something, but this street has been used by too many different people. Even if I could get his scent, the trail would be lost anyway." Bill's piercing blue eyes traced over each feature of their surroundings, Charlie watching him and waiting. This was their chance to find Harry and to rescue him. Surely they couldn't be too late, not with the night only just beginning to fall.

"Over there." Bills tone was confident as he pointed to one of the buildings. Charlie followed the line of his finger and saw that Bill was indicating a building with a large arched entrance and the words 'Wornton Street Station' set above it. He had noticed this building before, but the boarded up entrance and windows had suggested nothing and so he had disregarded the structure.

"_Of course!_ An abandoned station would be the perfect place to hide in. Completely empty, sheltered and with easy access." Charlie kicked himself mentally for not having thought of this before. Bill set off in the direction of the building, crossing the deserted street and stopping at the entrance which had been heavily boarded up to prevent people from entering. Charlie followed and drew his wand, preparing to blast open the entrance.

"Wait! Charlie, I don't think even Greyback would be stupid enough to leave the entrance completely unprotected. Let me check it out first before we walk into some kind of protective enchantment. We need to be careful if we want to help Harry." Charlie nodded, reluctant to waste any time but knowing that Bill was right. And who better to take care of this than a curse breaker?

Bill placed the tip of his wand against the stone face of the structure and began muttering a complex string of spells, the purpose of which Charlie could only guess at. After several minutes, Bill took a step back and turned to face Charlie. "There are a few protective enchantments on the place, but nothing I can't take care of. This may take a while though."

Harry's POV

The thick metal chain that secured me to the tiled wall was long enough to allow me to walk a few steps. The tiles had become unbearably cold on my bare skin, forcing me to rise from the ground and walk around in order to keep warm. My skin was pale where it was unmarked, large sections of my chest and sides covered in purple blotches where I had been beaten in an attempt to force me to call Greyback my master. But I hadn't given in, and the pain was worth the satisfaction.

Standing, I was able to better understand my surroundings. The large space was clearly an underground train station, the platform and curving roof covered in tiles that bore evidence to its abandoned state. Areas of floor as yet untouched maintained a thick layer of dust and grime, while the air was slightly murky due to poor ventilation. Greyback occupied the same end of the platform as I did, never venturing too far away for fear that I might try to escape. Figures, draped in an odd assortment of both wizarding and muggle clothing, rested in the remaining space, possibly as many as forty spread out along the platform.

Seeing this, I knew that there would be no hope of rescue. Not unless the entire Order formed one large force, and even then they would still be hopelessly outnumbered and there would be casualties. I didn't want that. If there was any way I was going to make it out of here without being infected by Greyback first, it would have to be under my own power.

I was nowhere near physically strong enough to break free of the large metal collar that surrounded my neck, and nor did I see any chance of pulling the chain free of the wall. Having no wand with me also posed a large problem, not yet having mastered the use of wandless magic. But there was no way I would give up. If I was as powerful as Bill suggested when he told me I was suffering from the Blaze of Power, then surely I would be able to use magic without a wand. But I would have to practice.

Sitting down with my back against the wall, I picked from the dust a tiny stone, placing it just in front of me. With every ounce of concentration I could muster, I focused on the stone. "_Wingardium Leviosa_." The stone did not rise. It didn't even wobble. Nothing happened at all. Try again, my voice a whisper so that I wasn't overheard by the werewolves. "_Wingardium Leviosa_." Nothing. Keep trying...

_**Thank you all so much for your reviews so far! I really appreciate all comments, advice and questions.**_

_**Special mention to member '**__**RRW**__**' for finding the first plot hole in my story and for asking the first question in a review! **_

_**Many smiles, Starlight257.**_


	10. Anything

**Chapter 10: Anything**

Harry's POV

My throat was dry, and realising this I also remembered that I hadn't eaten since yesterday. My stomach growled in response to these thoughts, and I shook my head to regain concentration. It _really_ shouldn't be this hard. I had done it before when I was eleven, before I even knew that I was a wizard. Of course, I hadn't meant to do it, but if I could do it without any effort at all, why was it so difficult now? Especially since I had apparently just come into my full magical power having come of age. But so far I had made no progress at all, and it felt as if I never would.

I needed to focus. I needed to really _want _this. I did want this. "Wingardium Leviosa." The stone shook, or quivered might be a more accurate word. It didn't matter anyway, because what was really important was the fact that the stone had moved, and I had done it without a wand. I placed the stone into the palm of my hand and brought it up so that it was level with my face. "_Wingardium_ _Leviosa._" My eyes widened as the stone rose into the air smoothly, coming to a stop in thin air. I pictured it moving to the left, and the stone moved as if I was directing it with a wand. Euphoria bubbled up inside me, a ridiculously strong reaction to such an insignificant result, but it was the first positive sign I had seen since my capture. "Yes!"

"Very good, my pet."

I froze, the warm buzz of success disappearing instantly to make room for a chilling emptiness. Greyback's voice echoed in the large space, and I realised that everybody was now listening. I looked up and my eyes met the cold eyes of my captor, his mouth twisting into an evil grin before he let loose a malicious bark of laughter. The other werewolves remained silent, out of fear or respect I knew not which. I could feel my face grow red with both humiliation and anger.

"Another skill that will help us in the war against wizarding kind. Pet, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I really must insist that you desist," he sniggered softly at the way the words sounded as he spoke them, "because we really can't afford any _accidents._ In just a few minutes time, we will be leaving this place, venturing forth into the night and embracing the moon. And in the light of our existence we will undergo the transformation which so repulses society."

"Power, strength, feeling like they have never experienced, and yet they cast us out. But the time will come when we take control, when we are the leaders of society, and they will grovel at our feet like the pathetic creatures that they are." I shivered at the conviction in his words, his eyes noticing the slight movement. "Do not think that I have forgotten about you, my Pet. When the moon takes us, so too will I take you. And once I have claimed you, marked you as my own, then you will have all the time you could ever want to practice your magic." His jagged teeth flashed an evil grin, daring me to oppose him.

He'd probably been listening to me practice the entire time, laughing inwardly at my failure. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the other werewolves had been able to hear me as well thanks to some convenient effects of the werewolf condition. I glared at him, feeling my emotions meld together into an unstoppable fury as I opened my mouth to allow the words I had withheld for so long to escape. Before the first word had formed in my throat the chain suddenly flew up and wrapped itself around my chest, pushing the air from my lungs as the heavy links crushed my arms against my already bruised sides. I gasped for breath but the chain only squeezed tighter.

Greyback's face was now directly in front of my own, my eyes staring into the emptiness of his as I was held in place by the chain. I could feel the eyes of all the other werewolves boring into my skin from behind him, but I couldn't move my head enough to see past his face. "Don't you dare even think about challenging me. I am your _master, _and you will obey me! You will **not** try to escape again Pet. You will **never **escape." He turned around, and the chain fell to the ground, once more limp and lifeless. I breathed in; shaking from the lack of oxygen as well as from the cold air which blew across my bare skin.

I lay back down onto the cold tiles, the strength I had felt having drained out of me along with any hope that I had of saving myself. I was alone. Nobody knew where I was or even who had taken me. I was weak. My magic was useless. _I was alone_. I pressed my face into my shoulder, my long silky hair providing a cover for the tears which now fell from my eyes. I thought of the Nest, my friends, of Charlie and of how I was never going to be able to return to them once I was taken by Greyback. There was nothing, and I was nothing.

From behind my eyelids I saw a flash of light, and opening them I saw something that stopped the tears. A cloud of smoke, dust and dirt, thick and dark, was rushing through the station from the opposite end. And then there were voices.

General POV

The thick smoke filled the entire room, the sounds of the forty or so werewolves coughing being swallowed by the sudden silence left behind by the swelling cloud. A voice echoed through the station, each word clear even as it was repeated over and over again by the tiled surfaces of the large space.

"Harry Potter is the property of the Dark Lord. He will be surrendered to us immediately. Those who oppose the one true master will fall."

The darkness of the cloud vanished just as quickly as it had arrived, and as sight was restored all heads swung towards the source of the voice. Three figures stood beside the tunnel at one end of the platform, their faces and any other recognisable features hidden from view by the black hooded robes and cold metal masks of the Death Eaters. A loud growling rose from the werewolf army as each person drew their own wand, ready for the attack that would surely follow.

Greyback threw back his head and unleashed a loud barking laugh, joined as he did so by several of his followers. The three Death Eaters simply stood there, apparently unmoved by this display of disloyalty to their master. Greyback began to speak, and immediately the other voices ceased.

"Harry Potter will be remaining here. The Dark _Lord_ may have you to do his bidding, but he has no such authority over the werewolves. They remain loyal only to me, Fenrir Greyback, future ruler of all creatures. Who are you to demand something of me?"

A slight pause followed, and then the three figures reached up simultaneously and removed both their masks and hoods. In the centre of the trio stood Lucius Malfoy, his platinum blond hair instantly recognisable as it fell across his shoulders. Flanking him on either side, the two shorter figures of Alecto and Amycus Carrow stood smirking, their eyes bright as they took in the reactions of the werewolves. Almost as one, as the faces were revealed, the army took a step back, the reputations of those standing before them being enough to instil fear. Lucius glided gracefully forwards, the Carrows moving out on either side as they too approached the mass of uncertain werewolves, who shuffled backwards and pressed together. When the Death Eaters stopped, the space behind them remained empty while the centre of the platform was occupied by the mass of werewolves, who stood before their leader as he remained at Harry's side.

"Come now, Greyback," Lucius said, his tone saturated with a pleasantness that could not be trusted, "we are all on the same side. Remember that the Dark Lord has promised to reward you when the time comes. It would be foolish to stand against him now."

"It is not that we are on the same side so much as it is that we have the same goal." Greyback bared his teeth in an amused smirk, however he did not move forwards. "It is true that we both seek to bring down the current ruling magical force, however it is also true that both sides also seek control over all other races and creatures, a feat impossible to achieve without the elimination or enslavement of either werewolves or wizards. Also, something else that brings us together is our common desire to find Harry Potter, however my reason for this is very different to your own. It is with Harry that we will have the power necessary to gain control, and now that we have him, why would we give him over to you? It would be, as you said, foolish." Greyback flashed his teeth at them again, this time more as a threat rather than a smirk.

The two Carrows, rather than being taken aback by these words, cackled loudly, filling the space with an eerie sound that sent shivers down Harry's spine. Lucius held up his hand, the two voices fading as the echoes receded down the dark tunnels of the station. When he spoke again, his tone was calm and almost bored. "Yield to the Dark Lord and surrender Potter. If you refuse the Dark Lord, I will have no choice but to force a favourable solution."

"You and what army? You can't possibly imagine that the three of you will be able to take down my entire werewolf army."

"Oh no, that would certainly be a most unwise course of action. We _have_ come prepared." With no obvious signal from either Lucius or the Carrows, the large cloud of smoke once more rushed from the tunnel behind the three Death Eaters and filled the space entirely, the werewolves listening for any sounds of approach. There were none, and nothing could be seen more than a foot away from ones face due to the impenetrable darkness. And then the smoke was retreating, being sucked back down the tunnel and leaving everything behind exactly as it had been before. Everything, that is, except the newly materialised Death Eaters, of which there were forty seven, fifty including the three original Death Eaters.

A shuddering intake of breath was all that could be heard for several seconds as the werewolves, now outnumbered, took in the army that had come to destroy them. Then it was as if something clicked, and screams, both maniacal and fearful, burst from the lungs of Death Eaters and werewolves alike. Those werewolves closest to the robed force turned and fled, knocking over others as they scrambled in a desperate attempt to escape. Just as the few who had been at the back rushed past a still shocked Greyback and towards the opposite tunnel, Lucius flung his arm out, wand pointed at the other end of the station.

"_**Reducto!**_"

The arched entrance to the tunnel exploded in a burst of fire and rubble, the entire station shaking and groaning with the force of the blast. Tiles fell from the curved ceiling, shattering into thousands of shards as they struck the platform below. The werewolves covered their heads with their arms, but for those closest to the tunnel it was too late. The entire ceiling at that end began to collapse, huge slabs of rock falling to block the only escape from the Death Eaters.

Harry, still chained to the wall, pulled with all his strength as the wall shook with a dreadful rumbling. Greyback, seeing that his prize was just moments away from being crushed, raced forwards, grabbing the end of the chain and ripping it from where it was attached to the wall. He continued to pull roughly, dragging Harry by the neck into the centre of the platform where the werewolves now stood, their eyes watching both the destruction and the Death Eaters. Dust and rubble flew from the now blocked tunnel, forcing both werewolf and Death Eater alike to cover their eyes, the masks worn by the Dark Lord's servants doing nothing to protect them from the dust.

The last sounds of crumbling died away as the dust settled, fresh, cool air sweeping down into the space which for so long had been closed off from the world above. Fenrir's army, with only a few unfortunate individuals missing, was huddled together in the centre of the platform, on one side blocked by an impenetrable layer of rock and debris, on the other by fifty Death Eaters. Lucius was the first to remove his robed arm from across his face where he had been holding it to protect his eyes. What he saw caused him to stop breathing, his face draining of all colour to an impossibly paler shade. His lips quivered as he took a horrified step back, the arm with which he held his wand shaking violently.

"N-no. No! _No!" _His voice was not loud, however in such a deathly silence as had followed the collapse, it was clearly audible to both the Death Eaters who stood close by as well as to the werewolves with their sensitive ears. As heads swung to see what had so frightened Lucius Malfoy, several people gasped.

Where before there had only been tiles, the large curving roof pressing down upon those who stood within the confined space, there now was nothing, only emptiness and space. The rock and earth which had separated the underground station from the muggle structures above had fallen inwards to fill the tunnel at one end, leaving behind an opening, through which crisp air now rushed. But it was not the air that so worried Lucius, but rather the pale beams of moonlight which now filtered through the emptiness. Moonlight which illuminated the scene below and all involved. Moonlight both beautiful and ominous. The light of a full moon.

Fenrir was the first to react, letting loose a howl that filled the air and sent shivers down the spines of the horror struck Death Eaters. More howls joined his in a dreadful chorus, heads being flung back as if they were basking in the glow of the moon. Several of the werewolves dropped to the floor, clutching at their sides and at their limbs as they seemed to swell and morph. Greyback remained standing, his chest and back rippling while his whole body vibrated with explosive energy. His skin erupted with shaggy grey hair, replacing the torn clothing he had been wearing. His hands and feet seemed to lengthen, yellow nails growing into jagged claws which clenched and unclenched repeatedly. His jaw stretched outwards to form a muzzle filled with pointed teeth. A tail emerged, rising up behind him as his legs bent into a threatening crouch. Grey eyes, before so cold and hollow, narrowed to give a predatory appearance to the large grey werewolf.

All around him, other werewolves completed their transformations and rose to stand on their hind legs, taller than an average wizard. None were as tall or as impressive as Greyback however, who stood at the rear of his newly changed force, gloriously frightening. A low growl emanated from the mass of werewolves, the very ground shaking with the vibrations. From the Death Eaters, a single high pitched whimper sounded.

Charlie's POV

"_Done._"

My feet froze before I even consciously processed Bill's announcement. It seemed as if I had been pacing up and down the small stretch of pavement outside the closed off station for an eternity, but in reality it had probably only been close to twenty minutes. During that time, Bill had been working as fast as he could, his hands moving in intricate patterns as he detected and removed the enchantments which protected the entrance to the werewolves den. And yet, even though I knew that we could not have possibly moved any faster, I still felt like we were too slow... _too late. _

No. I shook my head in an attempt to dispel that thought, moving towards the door beside which Bill now stood. Just as my fingers closed around the door knob, a loud crash filled the air, the force of what could only have been some form of explosion shaking the ground and buildings along the street. My eyes widened and I turned to look at Bill. His eyes had also widened and some of the colour had drained from his face, but a slight shake of his head reassured me, and it seemed to do the same for him.

"That wasn't one of the protective enchantments. I know I haven't missed anything. It must have come from somewhere else... or even from inside."

Before the last word even left his mouth I had turned the knob and pushed the door, entering into the dense darkness that filled the abandoned entrance hall. I drew my wand, still moving towards the opposite end of the empty room. "_Lumos." _The tip glowed a bright blue, illuminating only a small area but enough to see a few feet ahead of my quick steps. In the centre of the far wall a single passage continued onwards, sloping gradually downwards as it made its way to the underground platform. I rushed forwards, the sounds of my footsteps echoing off the bare stone walls being joined by those of Bill who I knew to be just a short distance behind me.

Breaking into a jog, I could feel my heart beating and my pulse racing, not because of the physical exertion but due to the feeling that was rapidly filling my entire body. A warm tingling, like sunlights gentle caress on bare skin, washed over me and I knew that Harry was close. He was here, just metres away, and I would be with him once more. I felt my lips twitch up into a smile, knowing that this was inappropriate considering the circumstances but unable to suppress it.

"Charlie." Bill's voice so close to my ear made me slow down, the sound strong and commanding. "Stop for a second and listen." I strained my ears, trying to hear past our heavy breathing for anything coming from the passage ahead. Of course, Bill's sensitive hearing would have alerted him to any sounds that I would not have been able to hear, but without the loud echoes of our footsteps I should be able to hear something. And there it was, a low rumbling or moaning. Just as I was about to move forwards again, a single howl filled the darkness that was beyond the reach of our wands. My breathing stopped altogether, the sound of my heart becoming louder in my ears. And then there was another howl, this time joined by several others before it died away.

I felt Bill's hand grip my arm tightly before he pulled me forwards, my legs automatically moving to equal his fast pace. He began to mutter to himself as we ran, only one word reaching my ears clearly. "Werewolf." And then I was sprinting, rushing past Bill and down the final few metres of the passage towards the soft light which filled the platform beyond.

As my eyes adjusted to the moonlight which I could now see pouring from the open ceiling above, my body froze where it was just inside the large space of the abandoned platform. I could feel the blood drain from my face and I clenched my hand tightly around my wand, blinking even as I tried to understand the scene that lay before me. Bill's solid form crashed into me from behind, but I was so shocked I didn't even react, his leaner body simply bouncing off my firm back. I heard him gasp and knew that if I could have made any sound it would have been once very much the same.

The passage had opened abruptly onto the large underground platform, or perhaps what was once an underground platform but was now more of an open crater. To my right the ground was covered in rubble and large boulders formed an impenetrable wall which seemed to rise only to meet the emptiness of the night sky. Directly in front of me, moonlight illuminated the massive forms of what must have been Greyback's werewolf army, their razor claws and teeth glimmering in the pale beams from above. But all this I had been prepared for. I had expected to meet a werewolf army, the thought that moonlight would be necessary for change never having crossed my mind. I had expected a scene of destruction and confusion. What I hadn't expected was the mass of black cloaks and hooded figures which occupied one entire side of the remaining platform, wands drawn and metallic masks set with an evil sneer. Death Eaters.

Before I could even begin to react, lights exploded from the tips of the Death Eaters wands, brilliant greens and reds shooting towards the pack of werewolves and lighting up the dark tiled walls. Almost immediately after the first spells had been fired, several of the werewolves at the front of the pack leapt forwards, their claws and teeth preceding their large masses of matted fur. Explosions shook the walls as poorly aimed curses caused more tiles to crash to the floor, dust and dirt creating a haze through which individual moonbeams took on a solid appearance.

Bill pulled me to the wall as more werewolves surged forward, trampling over their fallen comrades as rage and hunger guided them onwards. Growls, fierce and terrible, rung in my ears, the deep sounds pierced occasionally by the violent screams of their victims. The Death Eaters fell back into a defensive array against the wall, their black cloaks pressing together as they fought to keep the massive creatures at bay. Bodies, both werewolf and human, littered the ground, deep scarlet rivulets of blood mixing with the grime of the tiles and the falling dust.

"We need to find Harry and get out of here!" Bill's tone was urgent and immediately I tore my eyes away from the dreadful scene taking place before me. I scanned the walls, knowing that Harry would have chosen a defensible position as far from the chaos as possible. The image of his body, bruised and covered in blood just as it had been the night Voldemort attacked us while leaving his muggle home, flooded my mind and I had to fight to suppress them. He couldn't be dead. We had made it in time. He _had _to be alive.

My eyes fell upon a small form huddled against the fallen boulders, bare skin pale in the moonlight. _Harry_. His eyes were focused on the raging battle, obviously not having noticed either myself of Bill. I began to edge along the wall, keeping as much distance as I could from the werewolves I knew would turn on me as soon as they saw my human shape. Bill grabbed my arm in an attempt to slow me down, his body being pulled along as I refused to slow my pace. As we reached the mass of fallen stone I saw Harry's emerald eyes flicker towards us, his body flinching back instinctively. Those brilliant orbs widened slightly, his lips shaking before forming the smallest and most welcome of smiles.

I rushed forwards, crushing his smaller form against my body and feeling the warmth and relief that had for too long been missing.

"**Aaahhh!**"

I dropped him, taking a quick step back at the sudden scream of pain that had come from Harry. He clutched his sides with his hands, eyelids clenched in what I knew to be an attempt to hold back tears. "What is it? Are you hurt?" He didn't need to answer that question, not now that I could see the deep purple bruises which almost covered his entire body, visible even with his arms mostly covering his chest and sides. I could hear myself growling, fury taking over as I saw what they had done to him.

Before I could do anything, Bill was there at my side to calm me down. "We can't afford to waste any more time Charlie. We need to get out of here as soon as possible. Whoever did this is probably in enough pain at the moment anyway, and any stupid moves right now could cost us all our lives."

Of course he was right, and with great effort I suppressed the rage and tried to focus my attention once more on getting Harry to safety. But the growling, the deep and threatening sound I had thought to be only myself, continued. I spun around, wand drawn, ready. What seemed to be the largest werewolf in the pack was facing our small group, the others still engrossed in the loud and bloody fight. Its fur was relatively clean compared to the blood and dirt stained coats of the others, the grey colour matching its eyes. At that moment I knew that this must be Greyback, the fearless leader using his servants as shields from the continuous barrage of spells and curses.

He held a solid metal chain, one end wrapped securely around his arm and the other, as I followed it with my eyes, encircling Harry's bruised neck. His teeth glinted in the moonlight, an evil smirk directed straight at me. "**NO!**" But it was too late, and with a sharp and powerful heave Harry was pulled away from me, his body crashing into the ground as it was dragged across the space which separated us.

Bill reacted faster than I could have, aiming his wand at Harry rather than Greyback. "_Relashio!" _The chain which had formed a collar around Harry's neck broke apart, Greyback moving fast enough to avoid the backlash of the metal length. Harry, his face contorted with a pain that left him breathless, was sprawled in the centre of the space between Greyback and ourselves. I looked up at the monster which threatened one so close to my heart, knowing that I would do everything I could to stop it.

"_Stupefy!_" The jet of red light soared towards its target, but the werewolf just stepped to the side, his legs a flash as the spell continued past him and into the violent fight. They wouldn't notice one more spell, just as they hadn't noticed either Greyback's absence or Harry's scream. As werewolves, their only concern would be a threat or a meal. In this case, the Death Eaters provided both. For some reason however, Greyback seemed to be in control. His sole focus was not on us, but instead he seemed to want only Harry.

I tried again, this time Bill adding his own spell, any yet Greyback simply crouched low, both jets of light passing over his head. Just as quickly, he stood again and swung the length of chain, each metal link adding its own dreadful sound to the movement. We were not as fast, the chain colliding with both of our chests and knocking the breath from our lungs as we fell to our knees. I swung my head up in time to see the shaggy creature lunge from where it stood, covering the distance between us in less than a few seconds and smashing its solid arm into Bill's side, knocking him to the ground with a resounding thud.

I lifted my arm, aiming my wand at the werewolf's head and muttering the first half of a spell. Again, too slow. Greyback reached towards me and crushed my arms against my sides, lifting me from the floor so that I was suspended just a few inches above the surface, enough so that I couldn't reach the ground. Over its shoulder I could see Harry watching, his eyes wide with a fear that I could do nothing about. His lips moved and I heard him mutter something that sounded like the body bind spell 'Petrificus Totalus'. But his voice was weak, and the beast kept moving, its jaw opening impossibly further as it lowered its maw to my neck.

With an audible crunch, it clamped its teeth down, delivering the final blow... ...and I felt nothing. A horrible whining filled my ears, so loud that I struggled to free my arms just so that I could cover my ears. Greyback dropped me, staggering back and shaking his head. I looked down, trying to discern any signs of damage, any blood dripping down my torn shirt. The skin appeared unbroken, as if it was made of stone... _stone._ Harry hadn't cast the body bind spell at all! He had cast the same spell I had seen him use on the night of his seventeenth birthday. '_Petrifilicticus,_' a spell which made a person's skin as hard as stone. He had protected me, saved my life once again.

Greyback was still moaning pitifully, and now I could understand why. The force of that bite had shattered his teeth, his jaw broken and his gums left bleeding. This time I would not miss. "_Stupefy!"_ The surge of red light hit him right in the chest and he toppled over, numb and useless. I would leave him for the Death Eaters to find. Surely anything I could do would be nothing compared to the punishment he would receive for betraying Voldemort.

Forcing my aching limbs to cooperate, I moved over to where Harry lay, propped up on his elbows and smiling at me as if I had been the one who had saved his life. Bill rose unsteadily, making his way over to where we were while assessing his damaged body. "Nothing's broken I think," he winced as he extended his left arm, bending it just to be sure. "As for you Harry," and he placed his hands on Harry's sides, gently feeling the places where bruises marked the skin, "there appears to be no broken bones at least. These bruises are pretty serious, but they're nothing Mum can't fix." With that, he looked up and smiled.

"Can we go now?" Harry's voice, although weak, conveyed the relief and joy I knew he felt.

"Charlie, will the anklet still work?" I thought for just a moment before answering.

"It brought me to this street when Harry wasn't wearing it, so it should take us back to the Nest where we left the necklace." Bill nodded and Harry sighed in relief, grateful that he would neither have to travel through the long passage or leave by apparition. With the tip of my wand I tapped the anklet I still wore, the comforting glow surrounding us. "Home," I said, my voice full of longing.

"Home," Harry repeated, eyes glimmering in the soft glow.


	11. Everything

**Chapter 11: Everthing**

General POV

Once the swirling light had faded away, the familiar surroundings of the Nest became visible, a roaring fire which filled the sitting room with warmth and a comforting orange glow. The windows at this time were dark holes set into the stone walls, tiny specks of light flashing for just moments before the fast moving clouds of the night obscured them from view.

A soft cheeping sounded from one side of the room, and Bill moved over to the pile of pillows which was the phoenix's bed. Spoons, seemingly oblivious to the broken wing she now supported, hopped wildly up and down, rushing into Bill's hand as he crouched low to pick her up. "She seems to be coping with the injury very well; however the healing process should still take a few weeks." Bill was now holding the red and gold mass of feathers out before him in the palm of his hand, small round eyes meeting his own blue ones with an excited curiosity.

Charlie, however, had eyes only for Harry, his expression both pleased and anxious as he traced over the smaller boys form. Harry's skin showed signs of serious beatings, violent purple marks covering his entire left side where he had been struck repeatedly by Greyback. His neck was red where it had been scraped by the metal collar, and his hair was tangled and filled with dust. Despite these injuries, Charlie still felt an overwhelming relief. Although he had never admitted it, even to himself, as soon as Harry had been taken from the Nest he had imagined the worst. His actions, so confident at the time, had been the only things which had held him together. If it weren't for the occupation of his mind and the feeble hopes he had dared to believe, he was sure he would have simply given himself up to a grief that still felt so real. But Harry was here now, and he was safe, and Charlie would never let anybody harm him again.

Charlie raised his eyes just in time to see Harry's eyes close, his thin frame swaying slightly before his knees buckled beneath him. Charlie caught him mid air, his muscular arms lifting Harry and holding him against his broad chest. "Bill!"

Bill rushed to where Charlie was standing, seeing the panic in his brother's eyes and then looking more closely at Harry. With his fingers he felt for a pulse at Harry's neck, finding it and noticing how weak it was. But there appeared to be no signs of injury other than the superficial bruising.

"Don't panic Charlie, he'll be fine. He probably hasn't had anything to eat since he was captured, and that combined with these bruises and the cold temperatures he must have endured down in that station couldn't have made him very strong. We need to get him to the Burrow. Mum'll know what to do with him, and she's probably got more healing potions and salves than we could ever find at St Mungo's." Bill smiled reassuringly up at his brother.

Charlie looked down into Harry's face, noticing for the first time the lack of colour to his usually radiant skin. They moved down the steps quickly and out the door, Charlie tightening his grip on Harry's limp form. Bill tucked Spoons into his coat pocket, her tiny eyes peering over the fabric and into the night. He wrapped one arm around Charlie's shoulders and they turned, apparating.

They landed with a loud crack in the sitting room of the Burrow, the two men placing Harry onto the soft couch which occupied the centre of the slightly warped room. Seconds later the sounds of footsteps could be heard hurrying down the creaking staircase, the quick footfalls filling the otherwise silent house. It was late; just how late they were not sure, but even at such an hour it was rare for the Burrow to be so quiet. Usually the air seemed alive with talk and movement, but with most of the inhabitants either at Hogwarts or living elsewhere, the place seemed strangely empty.

From the top of the stairs emerged Mrs Weasley, her eyes wide as she looked into the darkness for the source of the sound. Seeing the two figures, she drew her wand and pointed it at the fireplace, which ignited to illuminate the room and the forms of her two eldest sons. "Bill, Charlie!" She rushed towards them, her arms outstretched as if to embrace them both. But before she reached them she noticed Harry, his bare skin pale and marked where he lay on the couch.

"Oh! _Harry!_" She kneeled down beside the couch, checking first for a pulse and then running her practiced hands over the left side of his exposed body. Her face was frustratingly vacant as she concentrated on detecting the slightest injuries; however it took only minutes for her to finish her inspection. Then she rounded on her two sons. "What happened?" Her voice was a mixture of anger and concern, her tone accusing as if she held the two of them responsible for Harry's current state.

"Harry was captured by Greyback and t-" Charlie had begun the long explanation which he knew was necessary when he was abruptly cut off by Mrs Weasley.

"What are _you_ doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Romania? Why didn't you visit if you were so close?"

Charlie turned to Bill, unsure of how to explain. Bill's lips twitched up into a smile, his teeth flashing as it grew and turned into a bellowing laughter which filled the room.

Charlie's POV

It was almost an entire day before Harry regained consciousness, and I made sure that I was there by his side when he did. Mum had applied several different salves to Harry's damaged skin, and even in such a short period of time the bruises had already begun to clear. In just a few more days there would no longer be any physical reminders of Greyback's cruelty, and it would be as if nothing had ever damaged him.

Mum had also given Harry several potions, many of which aimed at keeping him unconscious so that when he finally did wake the pain would be tolerable. His hair, previously tangled and dust filled, had been washed and brushed so that now it once more resembled the raven curtains of silky strands which fell across his shoulders and back. That single streak of gold remained, tracing the right side of his face where it fell across his skin. And the golden glow, a thing which had before been cause for concern, had returned in full force. When I had seen him in the station, his skin had been palest white where it was still unmarked. Now it glowed and radiated a soft light, a sign that his strength and his magic was returning.

"Charlie?" Those beautiful green eyes blinked as they tried to focus on me, and I moved my face closer to his own. I could smell the intoxicating honeysuckle scent that was just so Harry, using a great amount of will power in order to resist tracing my tongue along the side of his face.

"I'm here." I placed my lips gently on his own, feeling him breathe in as I did so. It had been Bill's idea to move Harry up to our old room, a suggestion which afforded us a measure of privacy. Nobody besides Bill and Fleur yet knew of my relationship with Harry, and I wouldn't tell anybody before I knew that he was ready.

"Morning, Charlie," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep as he reached out to wrap his arms around my neck. I shuffled closer on the bed, Harry rolling over to press lightly against me as we faced each other.

"Actually Harry, it's more like evening. You've been out for almost an entire day." I chuckled at the slightly shocked expression on his face before standing up, pulling his small form up along with me. "I suppose you would be quite hungry after going so long without eating? Don't worry, Mum will have prepared enough food to feed the entire family, so you shouldn't be hungry for too much longer... or ever again once she's finished with you."

Harry groaned and I laughed, pulling him out of the bedroom and down the many stairs, our pace slow to allow for Harry's limited movement. Before we even made it to the last flight of stairs the aroma of a home cooked meal reached us, causing Harry to quicken his steps slightly. The table was laden with food, resembling the house tables at Hogwarts which seemed to hold more food than was actually possible. I made sure Harry was seated comfortably before I moved over to where Bill was sitting on the couch.

"So you're sure staying here for a few days is the best thing?" Bill had suggested a short stay at the Burrow and Mum had leapt on the idea, blocking her ears to any form of protest and beginning preparations immediately.

"Definitely. Harry will need at least a few more days before he will be fully recovered, and you know Mum is the best person to have around to take care of him. I know you could take care of him just as well Charlie, but you also need some time to get over the shock of what has happened." Bill smiled warmly at me, and I knew that what he said was true. He was always the one I turned to for advice, not just because he was my older brother but also because I felt he understood me better than the rest of my family.

Spoons, who had travelled to the Burrow with Bill, was nestled against the curse breakers neck, a tiny ball of feathers that moved with the gentle rhythm of sleep. Bill must have seen me looking at the phoenix. "Don't worry Charlie; I'll take care of her for a few days while you and Harry are still here. Fleur will adore her, and I can't say that I don't already." He stroked the tuft of feathers on her head softly, careful not to wake her.

"Thanks." I stared at the small bird for a few minutes longer, trying to find the courage I needed to ask the next question. I knew that Bill would always try his best to help me, but he was still my brother and I was uncomfortable with asking him about things of... _certain_ natures. "Umm... Bill?"

"Hmm?" he replied, still stroking Spoons.

"Well, err... I need to ask you about Harry." He looked up at me, his blue eyes piercing as he detected the discomfort which even I could hear in my voice.

"What about Harry?"

"Well, you know about his... condition." The incomprehension in his expression was clear, so I continued.

"You know how Harry is... _dealing_ with the 'Blaze of Power'? Well I was wondering whether you could... umm... tell when he needed to _deal_ with that." I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as Bill understood what I was asking. I was thankful then as I turned my head for Harry's hair growth spell, because the long red strands of my own hair now hid the majority of my face.

I felt a hand grip my shoulder and turned to meet Bill's gaze, knowing that he appreciated just how awkward this was for me. "Charlie, don't be afraid to ask for my help. You know that I accept the two of you, just as I know that the rest of the family will accept it when you feel ready to tell them." He looked now over to where Harry sat at the table, still eating the food that would make up for missed meals. "His skin does seem to be glowing again, but I'd say you have a few more days before some of the... pressure needs to be... _relieved_."

This final word brought a large grin to his face and I smiled back, relieved that Harry would be safe but also a little disappointed. I looked back over to Harry and saw that he was slowing down, the pile of food on the table appearing just as it had when we had entered the room. His eyes were drooping slowly as he stood and made his way over to where we sat.

I pulled him down so that he sat across my legs; his head nestled between my shoulder and my neck. "Tired," he said simply, and I chuckled softly at the exhaustion which coloured his statement. I moved my hand up to his head, stroking it through the length of his silky hair over and over as he drifted into sleep. He was warm where he pressed against my body, soft and light.

"The two of you make a nice couple," said Bill, looking at our entwined forms with something akin to wonder in his eyes.

"Thanks Bill."

*** *** ***  
General POV

For the first few days of Harry's recovery, he was occupied mainly by members of the Order who visited at all hours of the day and night. Lupin had sent out a message regarding Harry's capture and the resulting rescue mission undertaken by both Bill and Charlie. As a result, people were appearing at the Burrow fully expecting to find either the beginnings of a larger rescue party or a grieving family suffering from the loss of two sons and the wizarding world's saviour.

After having explained what had happened several times already to different groups of people, Harry finally gave up and feigned exhaustion, leaving the others to explain what had happened while he retired to the room he once again shared with Charlie. A general feeling of joy surrounded the Burrow, its inhabitants filled with relief and happiness. Not only was Harry now safe, but so too were those wizards who had before been threatened by the Dark Lord.

The battle which had erupted in the underground station had seen to it that two of the largest dark forces were now severely weakened if not entirely eliminated. Greyback's army had been all but destroyed by the Death Eaters, who had seen if fit to track down those few survivors and punish them for their treachery. In assembling such a force of Death Eaters, the Dark Lord had lost many of his most loyal and powerful followers to the werewolves. With so few people left to maintain control, the Order had found it quite an easy feat to regain the Ministry of Magic and once more establish a protective authority for wizarding kind.

All this had happened in just the two days following the battle, the dark forces having been so nearly eliminated that they had retreated into those few places which remained for them safe. Harry's plans to hunt the horcruxes could now be carefully considered without the pressure of an impending attack, and he could live in relative peace for the time being.

Owls arrived in an almost constant stream, letters from wizards and witches addressed both to Harry and to the Order. Harry enjoyed most reading those he had received from Ron and Hermione who were both still Hogwarts, feeling only slightly disappointed that he couldn't be there but knowing that if he was given the choice he would rather be with Charlie anyway. Ron and Hermione had been worried when they had not received any letters from him since their return to Hogwarts, but Harry now assured them that he was fine and that they would be able to help him find the horcruxes once the plans were finalised.

The bruises had disappeared altogether, his skin a glowing gold that displayed an obvious strength and energy to even the most casual of observers. But Harry and Charlie were not casual observers, and they knew full well what such a powerful glow meant. Something would have to be done soon if they were going to avoid the catastrophe that Bill had warned them about. Mrs Weasley, however, was adamant that they stay at the Burrow for at least the remainder of the week, arguing that Harry needed proper nourishment and time to fully regain his strength. There was therefore no choice but to remain, having no opportunity for escape that wouldn't draw attention or raise questions. Questions they were not quite ready for.

"Are you ready?"

Harry blinked a few times and looked away from the pages before him, noticing for the first time the quietness which surrounded them. "What time is it?"

"Past midnight. I didn't want to disturb you." Harry closed the book he had been reading for the last few hours, stretching his arms out before him in a catlike manner. His side was pressed against Charlie's muscled chest, warm and comfortable as the larger man reclined on the couch. Charlie had also lost track of time, paying little attention to those who made their way up the stairs and to bed. His mind had been occupied with questions and thoughts, his body only moving where he stroked his hand slowly through the length of Harry's hair.

"Let's go then," said Harry, moving out of Charlie's lap. Charlie rose, wrapping one arm around Harry's waist as they made their way up the stairs to the room they shared. The three beds which had been used by Harry, Charlie and Bill before the wedding remained, arranged in such a way as to form a single, very large bed which took up half of the room. The remainder of the space was occupied by clothes. Charlie had, upon being told that they would be staying for a week, returned to the Nest and packed a trunk of Harry's clothes, also retrieving the necklace at Harry's request. Despite this, Harry still preferred Charlie's loose fitting pyjama pants to any other item of clothing, wearing them until changing became absolutely necessary. Charlie seemed to share this opinion.

The sounds of distant creaking broke infrequently the sleeping silence, Harry making hardly any noise as he leapt onto the comfortable mattress. Charlie fell down beside him, amused by Harry's energy as the smaller boy wriggled into place between his strong arms. Moving one arm away, Charlie reached for his wand, flicking it casually to plunge the room into total darkness.

The only problem was that darkness was not so easily achieved. At least, not when Harry's building magic cast an ethereal golden glow over the entire room. Charlie groaned. "How are we supposed to get any sleep with you so bright I can hardly look at you?"

Harry kicked him playfully. "I can't help it. Besides, if it bothers you _so _much then why don't you just close your eyes?" Charlie's arms tightened around him in response.

"Because then I wouldn't be able to see you." He placed a quick peck on Harry's forehead, chuckling under his breath. "I'd rather be tired." His voice was casual even as his eyes burned with an unavoidable sincerity

"Well then," said Harry, pressing himself closer to Charlie, "maybe there is _something _we could do about this _problem_." His giggle was cut short by Charlie's demanding lips pressing against his own.

Charlie rolled over onto Harry, their bodies pressed together while he supported most of his weight with his arms. The kiss deepened, Harry parting his lips to allow Charlie's talented tongue entrance. He could feel the muscle against his own tongue and moaned softly into Charlie's mouth before they broke apart. Harry was breathing heavily, his hands struggling to pull the larger man down on top of him. But Charlie wouldn't move, instead staring into Harry's eyes with such lust as was irresistible.

Harry extended his tongue, tracing the square jaw of his lover as he felt the satiny skin move beneath it. He inhaled, not out of necessity but purely to gain more of that intoxicating vanilla rain scent that seemed to cling to Charlie. Strong arms moved to his sides and pulled him as their bodies rolled once more, Harry now positioned above Charlie, pressing down all he could on the broad chest which supported him. He felt hands slide slowly up his back, pulling with them the loose shirt that covered his glowing skin.

Once Charlie had removed the shirt, Harry's long hair fell back into place, hanging like black curtains which surrounded both his own and Charlie's faces. Quite forcefully now he pressed his lips against those delectable pink ones beneath him, running his tongue along the outsides before pushing in. The warmth was amazing, the two sharing each breath as their chests moved in unison.

Harry moved his fingers against the hem of Charlie's shirt, who took this as a sign and removed it himself. For a few moments, Harry could not move. Firm muscles clad in tight, smooth skin stretched out beneath him, huge pecs leading down to abs that seemed to pulse as Charlie breathed. With a quick smirk at the larger man, Harry placed his legs on either side of Charlie's powerful thighs, his lips finding the sensitive buds of flesh which were already hard. Taking first one and then the other into his mouth and swirling his tongue around each of them in turn, Harry delighted in the low moans he was eliciting from Charlie.

With something close to regret he moved downwards, reluctant to end those sounds which he could feel right through to his bones. With his delicate tongue he traced the outline of Charlie's abs, a cool trail of saliva left behind by the unbearable heat which was his mouth. Charlie knew where this was headed.

With gentle hands Harry drew down the pair of pyjama pants Charlie wore, large legs sliding and lifting as they sought to speed up his actions. Before he made another move, Harry looked up at Charlie's face, his expression one of deepest want, his eyes shimmering in the golden glow. And then Harry looked down, barely containing a gasp as he saw Charlie's erect member. Had it been this large the last time?

With a mixture of both desire and trepidation now, Harry lowered his lips to kiss the tip of Charlie's cock, hearing the deep moan in response and feeling all anxiety leave his mind. He licked along the length slowly, watching as Charlie writhed beneath him and feeling the pulsing rod as it swelled impossibly larger. Directing his eyes so that they bore into his lovers, Harry took the head into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the hard flesh.

"Uhhh!" The heat of Harry's mouth was unimaginable, and yet the sensation seemed still to intensify as Harry took more of the length into his mouth. Charlie, watching the raven haired boy as he begun to bob up and down, struggled not to buck into the wet heat. He clenched his fists on either side of him, pulling roughly at the sheets in an attempt to release some of the tension. At this rate, it would not be long before he lost control.

Harry enveloped more of the shaft with each up and down movement, tasting the precome as it leaked from the tip. He was determined to take the entire length, and even though he had never done this before, he knew that he would be able to. Relaxing his throat, he pushed down, hearing Charlie growl as he took the huge cock completely into his mouth. Charlie could feel Harry's tongue as it twisted around his member, unable to hold back the moans that were being drawn from him. It was too much, and he didn't want it to be over. Not now. Not yet.

"_Stop!_"

Harry pulled off, hearing Charlie whimper as he did so. The removal of the heat and the wetness was almost too much for Charlie, but he needed to hold on. He needed to be _with _Harry. As he regained control, he once more reached for his wand, casting silencing charms on the room. Harry saw what he was doing and grinned sheepishly.

"Probably should have thought of that _before _we made so much noise." His face was an image of such innocence that Charlie could not resist, reaching up with his hands and bringing Harry to his lips. As Harry surrendered himself to the kiss, Charlie moved one hand downwards, sliding it over the lean muscles of his back until it rested just above the beautiful curves of his arse. Placing his hand on the right cheek, Charlie squeezed with enough force to make Harry gasp; his breathing harsh as he was released from Charlie's hungry lips.

"I need you inside me," he spoke, his voice breathless as Charlie continued to stare into his emerald eyes, running his hand over Harry's exposed back.

"You'll need to lose the pants if that's really what you want." Charlie flashed his brilliant white teeth, blue eyes gleaming mischievously as he moved out from under Harry, searching through the dresser for the lube he knew to be there. Having found it, he turned around and saw a sight which knocked the breath from his lungs. Harry had taken his advice, now completely bare and open to Charlie's gaze. The soft golden glow emanated from his entire body, a body which although slim was composed of muscles developed from years of quidditch. His hair fell about his shoulders, perfectly framing those captivating eyes and luscious lips.

"You're... _amazing_ Harry." He had no other words with which to describe the beauty of this creature before him, a beauty he knew extended far beyond his appearance. Harry blushed, looking down as he felt the stregnth of Charlie's words.

"I love you Charlie." He looked up to see Charlie's stunned expression, an expression which quickly transformed so that it conveyed the depth of the older man's emotions.

"I love you more." Harry laughed, the sound sweet and vulnerable.

Moving back onto the bed, Charlie wrapped one arm around Harry's torso, lifting the smaller boy onto his lap, legs wrapping around his waist. Immediately Harry leaned forward, capturing Charlie's pink lips, parting his own to allow Charlie access to his mouth. They moaned together, Charlie struggling to concentrate on the lube he now poured into his hand. Reaching around behind Harry, he carefully parted the smooth cheeks, circling the entrance before pushing gently forward with one finger.

Harry moaned, feeling the sting of the invasion and knowing that what was to come would be pleasure and bliss so strong it would render him numb to even the strongest of pains. Charlie began to thrust lightly with the one finger, their mouths battling as a second digit was added. Harry began to whimper, not due to discomfort but instead out of impatience. Charlie sensed this and quickly added the third finger, thrusting upwards and brushing against the prostate. Harry cried out, the sensation washing over him and just as quickly leaving.

"Charlie," he breathed into his lover's mouth, his words strained as the stretching continued, "I... need you... _now!"_And Charlie could not resist, his will power dissolving as those words were practically moaned. Releasing Harry from his hold, he let the smaller boy fall once more to the mattress, following quickly so that his chest was pressed against that smooth skin.

"Are you sure?" Even though Harry was so obviously willing, Charlie felt the need to ask one more time.

"_Yes._"

With Harry's legs spread on either side of his body, Charlie positioned himself at his entrance, pressing the tip of his cock against the quivering flesh. Being taller than Harry, he was able to look directly into his eyes, absorbing the lust and the passion which swirled within. Then he pushed, his huge shaft moving forwards at an agonisingly slow pace. Harry whimpered, feeling a slight burn as the thick shaft stretched his hole. But then there was only pleasure, pure and devastating bliss which continued as Charlie pressed forward, stopping only once the entire length of his cock was sheathed within the warmth of Harry's body.

For a moment there was just breathing, eyes locked with each other as Harry adjust to the feeling. Harry flicked his tongue out, reaching for Charlie who pressed against it with his lips. And then he pulled back, thrusting in again just as Harry bucked downwards.

"Uhhh!" Charlie heard these sounds and responded, quickly establishing a rhythm which built in power and speed. Harry was practically purring beneath him as he pounded into the tightness, hitting the prostate each time. When he released Harry's mouth, that purring grew into a moaning that almost drove Charlie over the edge. But he held on, powerful hips driving his huge member as deep into Harry as it would go.

"Fuck, Harry... so... _ugh... beautiful... ugh!" _His arms shook as they held his muscled body over Harry, struggling with the overwhelming need to give in.

"_Charlie ... so... ahh... close!" _A final powerful thrust was all it took, sending Harry over the edge and forcing a scream from his lips. He shuddered, losing control as he felt his seed spill onto his stomach.

Charlie followed, the tight walls of Harry's arse clenching around his member being too much. Burying himself to the hilt inside Harry, his cock pulsed as it deposited several loads inside of the smaller boy, filling him completely. His arms gave out beneath him and he collapsed, rolling to the side so that he lay panting next to Harry. There were several minutes which followed, filled only by the sounds of laboured breathing as the two sought to slow their racing pulses.

The golden glow, before so bright, dimmed slowly until it was no brighter than those feeble rays of starlight which sought to illuminate the night. Charlie cast a quick cleaning charm on both of them before letting his wand drop to the ground beside the bed, utterly exhausted. With a final effort, he rolled onto his side, snuggling up to Harry and wrapping his lovers form in two strong arms. He placed a soft kiss to the back of Harry's head, feeling the silky strands of hair beneath his lips.

"Sleep, love."

Harry sighed, closing his eyes and drifting into dreams held by the bliss which had yet to leave.

General POV

It was with a feeling almost of reluctance that Harry and Charlie, on the morning following their final night at the Burrow, prepared to leave for the comforts of their own home. Being forced to remain an entire week at the Weasley household had seemed such a pain to begin with, the presence of family and friends almost constant and always intrusive. Such intimate moments as they would have liked to have shared in their newfound relationship had appeared impossible if they were to have any hope of avoiding questions and possible discovery. But these fears had come to nothing.

That first intimate encounter in the Burrow had been followed by no suspicion at all on the part of Mr or Mrs Weasley. Several times during the course of the following days, Harry and Charlie had become increasingly daring in their displays of love, careful to avoid the eyes of others but passionate none the less. Each lingering kiss, devious caress and gentle embrace would become for them some of the first memories of their love, of being together and sharing their lives.

But they knew that the Nest was their true home, a place safe and comforting in the privacy it provided. A place in which they could explore their feelings without holding back, where they would in time create even more amazing memories. And so this reluctance to leave was only small compared to their eagerness to be alone together, to return to the Nest and to be free. Their smiling faces, Charlie's tight holds and Harry's bright eyes were proof of this as they said their goodbyes.

"Please try to visit soon. We know you'll be very busy with planning that mission you are so intent on keeping a secret, but do try to remember us." Mrs Weasley's voice was sweet, the tone slightly sad as her son and Harry, another person she considered to be a part of the family, moved to leave.

"Sure Mum. We'll be back as soon as we have time." Charlie hugged her warmly, knowing that she would be sending letters daily until he kept his word. Harry followed his example, knowing that he had this woman to thank for his health.

**CRACK! CRACK!**

The three occupants of the room turned towards the source of the noise, the sounds of apparition having been heard so frequently in the last few days that not one of them had even flinched. In the centre of the sitting room stood Fred and George, their faces almost identical but for the absence of one of George's ears.

"I don't believe this George," said Fred, his tone overly emotional.

"I know Fred, I don't quite believe it myself," George continued, speaking as if only Fred could hear him.

"We travel all this way to visit our biggest brother."

"And our smallest brother Fred, we mustn't forget our Harry." He flashed a broad grin at Harry from across the room.

"Right. We travel all this way to visit two of our favourite brothers, leaving our joke shop all alone, and what do we find George?"

"We find them leaving, not bothering even to wait for us after we travelled all this way."

"Quite rude is what I'd call that George."

"Quite right Fred." And their two faces, complete with expressions of utter devastation, turned towards the small group standing beside the door. Harry burst out laughing, moving forward to hug each twin in turn. Charlie's chuckling followed, while Mrs Weasley placed one hand on her hip, her expression disapproving even as her eyes showed amusement. With a different tone, one of sincerity now, George continued.

"Great to see you again Harry, and you Charlie. We can't stay for much longer, we've actually got a business to run. Just wanted to say hello really."

"And to make sure that we arranged a date to come and visit the Nest. Bill's told us all about it and it's driving us mad not being able to get inside. We'll try to drop by next week." Fred smiled at them both.

"Sure, you're both welcome any time. We'll come to see you next week and you'll be able to come back to the Nest with us." The thought of showing off his house yet again brightened Harry's mood further, his hand absently twirling the golden streak which remained in his hair. Suddenly, George reached out and brushed Harry's long hair away from his face, exposing his neck and shoulders.

"Where did you get that necklace Harry?" Now Fred looked closer as well, observing the delicate golden ring and the sparkling emerald which rested in the hollow of Harry's throat.

Harry tried to hold back the blush he knew would follow, failing as images of the wedding swam through his mind. The dress he had worn and those dangerous heels. The twins by his side, attempting to win the right to have the first dance with Harriet. His distinctly feminine figure and appearance and the wandering hands which had traced his sides seductively.

Seeing this, Charlie hastily stepped in, grabbing Harry's hand and practically pulling him through the door. The twins were stunned; absorbed in their thoughts as they tried to remember where they had seen that necklace before. Harry hoped desperately that their memories were not as good as his own. He felt the tug and spun, and before he could even wave he was enveloped in the pressing darkness as Charlie apparated them to the Nest.

The sky was clear and blue, the morning air cold and crisp as it swept over them and out into the valley below. Sunlight, bright but not yet warm caressed their faces as they made their way towards the small wooden door at the base of the stone tower. Harry turned to Charlie.

"Do you think they'll figure it out?" They hadn't been ready to reveal their relationship yet, and Harry was worried that Charlie would not take this development well.

"I don't know. Not everyone is as bright as you, but I'm sure you must have left quite an impression on them at the wedding." Charlie's voice was calm and warm, Harry immediately relaxing as he saw the small smile spread across the larger man's face. And before he knew what was happening, Harry had been swept up into Charlie's arms, his side pressed against the warm muscles of Charlie's chest. Holding the smaller form of Harry with one strong arm, Charlie twisted the doorknob with the other, pushing it open and stepping into the Nest.

"You don't have to carry me Charlie. I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own." Harry pouted playfully, his emerald eyes locked with Charlie's sapphire ones.

"Oh really? Well then, I think we'd better do something about that, don't you?"

The End

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To all those people who read this story, favourited it, allowed for story or author alerts and to those who reviewed, I would like you all to know that it has meant a lot to me, and I am grateful. I hope you have enjoyed it, and would like to wish you all great happiness and much laughter in the future :D

A special thanks to all those reders who reviewed a number of times. Although I can't mention all of you, I would like to mention especially for such consistent and energetic commenting :)

Having read this, I would assume that all of you have a certain insight into me, because I believe a persons writing can tell others a great deal about them. As such, I would like you to tell me a little bit about myself! If you do chose to review, I would be very interested in how you picture the author of this story (e.g. gender, size, hair, eyes, etc.). This is completely optional, and I will still respond to all reviews regardless of content. I just think that this would be interesting ;)

Many smiles and much love,

Starlight257.


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